Australian cricket legend, Michael Slater, is the latest sporting hero to sign on to drive one of the Fiat 500 racers in the Celebrity Challenge race at the 2008 F1 Australian Grand Prix next month.

Australian cricket legend, Michael Slater, is the latest sporting hero to sign on for the Celebrity Challenge race at the 2008 F1 Australian Grand Prix.

The man who occupied the top of the Australian test batting order for close to a decade will join an all-star list that now features AFL superstars, Nathan Buckley, Glenn Archer and Luke Darcy; Australian Rugby Union winger and member of 1999 World Cup winning Wallaby squad, Ben Tune; women’s tennis icon, Nicole Pratt and reigning Women’s Surfing World Champion, Stephanie Gilmore.

“I’m really geared up for the race,” said Slater. “Being a car enthusiast with a love for motor sport, it’s been a dream of mine to have the chance to take a spin on a GP track. I’m really looking forward to improving my driving skills and competing against the other sports people in what is sure to be a very competitive race.”

A combative cricketer, Slater played many vital innings for NSW and Australia with his adventurous brand of play. Amid a golden run of success for the team as a whole, Slater’s individual highlights have included his 219 against Sri Lanka in Perth in 1995-96; and his brilliant home series against New Zealand in 1993-94 (which netted him 305 runs at 76.25) and England (623 runs at 62.30) in 1994-95.

Slater was also one of only four players to have played in each of the 16 matches between late 1999 and early 2001 which delivered the then Australian team the greatest run of consecutive victories in the history of Test cricket.

The Celebrity Challenge drivers will battle it out in the first racing version in the world of the all new Fiat 500. In addition to the Celebrity Challenge, this year’s GP features the most eagerly anticipated Formula One season return in years; the ever-popular V8 Supercars in an exciting new format; plus Carrera Cup, Australian GT Championship and Aussie Racing Cars. Families are the big winners at this year’s Grand Prix with free admission for kids 12 and under when accompanied by a paying adult. Rock legends Kiss will close the GP, with a free concert for all ticket holders on Sunday, 16 March.