MOSCOW, June 26. /TASS/. The Igora Drive racing track near St. Petersburg will host the Russian stage of Formula One races from 2023, the Formula One press office told TASS on Saturday.
The Sochi Autodrom that has been hosting F1 Russia races since 2014 will continue functioning after the Russian Grand Prix moves to the Autodrom Igora Drive near St Petersburg from 2023.
"Formula 1 is delighted to confirm that the Russian Grand Prix will move to the Autodrom Igora Drive in St. Petersburg from 2023." the press office said in a statement.
"We are looking forward to racing in a hugely exciting location that includes 10 professional tracks for racing and testing over approximately 100 hectares. It is located 54 km from Saint Petersburg, was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke and in 2020 received it’s FIA Grade 1 license. We will be providing more details on the race in the coming months and we are looking forward to racing in Sochi for the next two years," the statement says.
The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has issued a license for the Igora Drive circuit, acknowledging the track as suitable for hosting Formula One races, the Igora Drive press service said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The issued license of the top level means that Igora Drive has now the right for hosting all series of the international auto racing competitions, including Formula One GPs," according to the statement.
"This approval of compliance with international standards is another important step in the development of auto racing sports in Saint Petersburg, Russia and the world on the whole," the statement added.
The Igora Drive is now Russia’s third auto racing track, which was officially licensed by FIA for holding Formula One races. The Sochi Autodrom racing track, which has been hosting F1 Russia Grands Prix since 2014, was the first track to receive this privilege. The Moscow Raceway circuit, a racing track outside the Russian capital, was also licensed by FIA in October 2014 for hosting F1 races.
The construction of the Igora Drive, which is located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from St. Petersburg, began in 2016. The 4,084-kilometer racing circuit neighbors on a multi-sport complex, which offers rally cross and motor cross circuits, a karting circuit, as well as an off-road driving center.
The Igora Drive was designed by Hermann Tilke, an author of numerous FIA Grade 1 racing tracks, which host Formula 1 Grands Prix. The Sochi Autodrom race track in the Russian southern resort city of Sochi was also designed by Hermann Tilke.
The Sochi Autodrom is the only racing circuit in Russia that hosted Formula 1 races. Located in the Olympic Park, the venue of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, the 5,848-meter long racing circuit in the Black Sea coastal area has already successfully hosted seven F1 Grand Prix races.
In late 2014, the Sochi Autodrom was awarded the trophy of Formula One’s best racing track of the year. The Race Promoters' Trophy is a rotating award, engraved with the names of other top F1 tracks dating from 1975.