Russian Grand Prix

Coordinates: 43°24′16″N 39°57′16″E / 43.404421°N 39.954529°E / 43.404421; 39.954529

Russian Grand Prix
Sochi Autodrom
Race information
Number of times held 5
First held 1913
Most wins (drivers) United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton (2)
Most wins (constructors) Germany Mercedes (5)
Circuit length 5.848 km (3.634 mi)
Race length 309.732 km (192.459 mi)
Laps 53
Last race (2016)
Pole position
Podium
Fastest lap

The Russian Grand Prix (Russian: Гран-при России, translit. Gran-Pri Rossii) is an annual auto race held at Sochi Autodrom—a street circuit built around Olympic Park in Sochi, Russia, as part of the Formula One World Championship.

The race was first held briefly in the 1910s in St. Petersburg of the Russian Empire. The plans were made to host a Formula One event in Moscow for the 1983 season as the Grand Prix of the Soviet Union, these plans fell through. In 2010, it was officially announced that the Russian city of Sochi, which was also preparing to host the 2014 Winter Olympics, will host a new event on the F1 schedule beginning in the 2014 Formula One season under a seven-year deal.

Pre-WWI history

The beginning of the 1913 race
Russian driver Georgy Suvorin crossing the finish line in 1913

The Russian Grand Prix was run twice, in 1913 and 1914 at a circuit in St. Petersburg. The first race was won by Russian driver Georgy Suvorin,[1] whilst German Willy Scholl won the 1914 event.[1] The race was abandoned following the outbreak of the First World War and the Russian Civil War, and it was not resumed with the establishment of the Soviet Union.

1913 race results

1914 race results

Formula One

Plans for a Grand Prix in Russia emerged in the early 1980s, with a proposed circuit in Moscow to be run under the title of the "Grand Prix of the Soviet Union". The race was included on a provisional calendar for 1983, but bureaucratic barriers prevented the Grand Prix from being held, and the race was removed from all subsequent revisions of the calendar.[2] Nevertheless, Bernie Ecclestone continued in his quest to organise a race behind the Iron Curtain, and Hungary became the first communist country to host a race instead, joining the calendar in 1986.

The starting grid at the 2014 Russian Grand Prix.

In 2001, Vladimir Putin, then serving as President of Russia, expressed personal support to the project of the "Pulkovskoe Ring" near the Pulkovo Airport,[3][4] but the race never came to fruition. Another attempt was made in 2003, with the Moscow council approving a project to build a track in the Molzhaninovsky area in the Northern District of Moscow, to be known as Nagatino Island.[5] The project was abandoned after a dispute over the commercial contract. In September 2008, it was revealed that work was to begin on a Formula One circuit to be located at the town of Fedyukino, Volokolamsky District of the Moscow Province, approximately 77 kilometers (48 mi) away from Moscow. Known as the Moscow Raceway, the track was designed by Hermann Tilke to host both Formula One and Moto GP races.[6][7] The plan to host a Grand Prix at the Moscow Raceway was never realised, but unlike the Pulkovskoe Ring and Nagatino Island projects, the circuit was completed, and in 2012, hosted rounds of the Formula Renault 3.5 and 2.0 Series[8] — which became the first internationally accredited motorsport events to hold a round in Russia — as well as the FIA GT1 World Championship,[9] and the Superbike World Championship.[10]

President Putin congratulates Lewis Hamilton, the winner of 2014 Russian GP
Nico Rosberg at Russian GP 2014

Vitaly Petrov became Russia's first Formula One World Championship driver in 2010, when he joined Renault, adding further momentum to the project. Bernie Ecclestone expressed a desire to see Formula One travel to Russia at a circuit in or near Moscow or at the resort city of Sochi,[11] After several decades of attempting to re-establish the race, the new Russian Grand Prix was officially announced on 14 October 2010 for a debut in 2014, running through 2020. The race is held in the resort city of Sochi, host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics, at the Sochi Autodrom—a 5.9 km street circuit which passes around the venues Sochi's Olympic Park.[12][13][14]

The inaugural event was held on 12 October 2014, and was won by British driver Lewis Hamilton, followed by German driver Nico Rosberg, both from the Mercedes-Benz team, and Valtteri Bottas, of Williams.[15]

Winners

Events which were not part of the Formula One World Championship are indicated by a pink background.

Year Driver Constructor Location Report
2016 Germany Nico Rosberg Mercedes Sochi Report
2015 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2014 United Kingdom Lewis Hamilton Mercedes Report
2013
–
1915		 Not held
1914 Germany Willy Scholl Benz Saint Petersburg Report
1913 Russia Georgy Suvorin Benz Report

References

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