Russian Grand Prix

Sochi Autodrom

First grand prix 1913

Number of laps 53

Race distance 308.732KM

Circuit length 5.848KM

About the Russian Grand Prix

The Russian Grand Prix is a Formula 1 event which has been on the calendar since 2014. The circuit is situated in the Russian city of Sochi and is close to the Olympic park which hosted the 2014 Winter Olympics. The seven-year deal was first announced in 2010.

A desire to take Formula 1 to Russia was apparent from the 1980s but a deal never materialised. Vitaly Petrov became the first Russian Formula 1 driver in 2010 and this gave the project additional fuel. The race takes place on the streets and is 5.9km long.

Sochi Autodrom Track guide

The street circuit is named as the Sochi Autodrom. It was previously known as the Sochi International Street Circuit and the Sochi Olympic Park Circuit. Despite being a street circuit, it is known as a permanent race track in Sochi. The 5.848km (3.634 miles) holds 19 corners and is currently the fourth longest on the Formula 1 calendar. It was designed by German Hermann Tilke. The circuit runs right through the Winter Olympic park and ticks off most of the key Olympic buildings in the area.

Early beginnings during the 1980s

Plans for a Russian Grand Prix ignited in the early 1980s with the event planned to take place in Moscow. The event, under the name of ‘Grand Prix of the Soviet Union’, was included on the provisional calendar for the 1983 Formula 1 season. But the race was soon removed. Bernie Ecclestone continued his hunt for a race behind the Iron Curtain, but Hungary was seen as a more suitable venue. This joined the Formula 1 schedule in 1986.

More signs during the 2000s

Vladimir Putin made noises to grab the attention of Formula 1. There was a project to host a Formula 1 race in the early 2000s, but again the plan never went through. Motor racing became more popular in Russia across the following few years, but it wasn’t until 2010 when a deal was finally sealed.

The Russian Grand Prix

The first running, taking place in October 2014, was won by British driver Lewis Hamilton in his Mercedes. Nico Rosberg and Valtteri Bottas joined Hamilton on the very first Russian podium. Those on the 2014 podium are only three drivers to win races in Russia. Mercedes has been the only team to win the Russian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton has three wins to his name, while Valtteri Bottas and Nico Rosberg have just one race win each in Sochi. Controversy occurred during the 2018 Russian Grand Prix when Valtteri Bottas was on for a r

ace win, but his Mercedes team ordered him to let Hamilton past in order to give their British driver the best chance at beating Sebastian Vettel in the Formula 1 world championship.

When is the 2019 Russian Grand Prix?

The race weekend in Sochi kicks off Friday September 27th, with Free Practice 1 starting at 11am local time (9am BST, 4am EST). FP2 starts that afternoon at 3pm (1pm BST, 8am EST). On Saturday, FP3 starts at 12pm local time (10am BST, 5am EST), and qualifying for the Russian Grand Prix takes place at 3pm on Saturday (1pm BST, 7am EST).

The Russian Grand Prix will start at 2.10pm local time on Sunday September 29th (12.10pm BST, 7.10am EST).

Session Date Time
Practice 1 27 September 2019 04:00 - 05:30
Practice 2 27 September 2019 08:00 - 09:30
Practice 3 28 September 2019 05:00 - 06:00
Qualifying 28 September 2019 08:00 - 09:00
Race 29 September 2019 07:10 - 09:10
Times are in America/New_York Timezone
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