Formula One has announced that the Russian Grand Prix will move to Igora Drive, Igora from 2023 after nine seasons racing at Sochi Autodrom.
This announcement brings an end to years of rumours concerning a move away from Sochi which first hosted a F1 race in 2014, yet has often been criticised by fans for poor racing despite Formula Two and Three often providing considerable entertainment in contract as support races.
In a short statement, F1 said: “Formula 1 is delighted to confirm that the Russian Grand Prix will move to the Autodrom Igora Drive in St Petersburg from 2023.
“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.”
Speaking on the decision to switch from Sochi to Igora, F1 President and CEO, Stefano Domenicali said that ‘joint intensive work’ and ‘detailed assessment of Igora Drive’ with Russian GP organisers drove the decision to leave Sochi to race at a track which he has hailed as ‘amazing’ for the event.
Igora Drive currently has 15 corners which are largely made up of medium-fast sweeping corners but questions remain about the overtaking possibility compared to Sochi.
More details will be released by F1 in due course concerning the race’s move to Igora Drive, which was initially set to host DTM last May until the Coronavirus pandemic forced the race to be dropped from their calendar.
This year’s Russian GP will be held at Sochi Autodrom from 24-26 September with F2 serving as support series again to the main F1 race.
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