Moscow Raceway is an FIA-approved motor racing venue, which is situated in the Volokolamsky District of Moscow Oblast, near the villages of Sheludkovo and Fedyukovo, 97 km (60 mi) from Moscow, Russia. It opened on 13 July 2012 for its first event as the fifth round of the World Series by Renault becoming the first major international motor-sport race track event in Russia. It is an FIA Grade 1 circuit, which means that it has all the requirements necessary to host a Formula One race, though the Sochi Autodrom formerly hosted Russian Formula One races during the existence of the Russian Grand Prix as a World Championship event.[citation needed]
![]() "Grand Prix #9" layout (2012–present) | |
Location | ![]() |
---|---|
Time zone | MSK+00 (UTC+04) |
Coordinates | 55°59′45.8″N 36°16′6.1″E |
Capacity | 30,000[1] |
FIA Grade | 1 |
Broke ground | 1 October 2008; 14 years ago (2008-10-01) |
Opened | 13 July 2012; 10 years ago (2012-07-13) |
Construction cost | 4.5 billion rub. ~$150 million |
Architect | Hermann Tilke |
Major events | Current: Russian Circuit Racing Series (2012–present) Former: FIA WTCC Race of Russia (2013–2015) World SBK (2012–2013) DTM (2013–2017) Blancpain GT Series (2015) FIA GT1 (2012) World Series by Renault (2012–2014) |
Grand Prix #9 | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 3.931 km (2.443 miles) |
Turns | 14 |
Race lap record | 1:21.686 (![]() |
Grand Prix #1 | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 3.955 km (2.458 miles) |
Turns | 15 |
Race lap record | 1:24.831 (![]() |
Sprint #4 | |
Surface | Asphalt |
Length | 2.545 km (1.581 miles) |
Turns | 10 |
Race lap record | 0:58.999 (![]() |
In September 2008, it was revealed that work was to begin on a Formula One circuit to be located at the village of Fedyukovo, Volokolamsky District. Hans Geist, who at that time was the managing director of the project, stated that the track could pass an FIA inspection by June 2010, and that even without Formula 1 the project would be profitable staging either DTM or MotoGP. The cost of the project overall was 4.5 billion rub when it opened on 13 July 2012.[citation needed]
Moscow Raceway[2] was designed to be categorized FIA 1T and FIM A, which would allow motorsport competition at any level, from national championships in auto and motorcycle racing, to Formula 1 and MotoGP.[3] The total designed track length is 4.070 km (2.529 mi), with widths of between 12 metres (13 yd) and 21 metres (23 yd). The start/finish line has a width of 15 metres (16 yd) at an elevation of 22 metres (72 ft). The longest straight of 873 metres (955 yd) is designed to allow Formula 1 cars to reach a speed of 311 km/h (193 mph).[4] The circuit was finally classified as a FIM B grade course following inspections on 18 July 2012, one grade down from what was expected.[5]
Built under a Russian–German joint venture named "Autobahn", the general contractor for construction of buildings and race track to international level was Stroytech-5, a member of a group of companies Stroytech.[citation needed] Sub-contract partners included Siemens[citation needed], while Sergei Krylov was working as an adviser.[6]
After initially signing a deal with Bernie Ecclestone in 2008, the project was dropped from the 2010 Formula 1 calendar in early 2009, and construction stopped. Construction resumed in June 2010, with the new contractor agreeing to complete the road section of the track by the end of 2011.[citation needed]
The first events held at the circuit were part of the World Series by Renault on 13–15 July 2012, where it also became the second international motor-sport event in Russian history after the FIA European Truck Racing Championship event took place in the Smolenskring in July 2010.[7] The first race itself was the 5th round of the Formula Renault 3.5 series, which was won by Dutchman Robin Frijns.[8] The first Russian to win a race there soon followed with Daniil Kvyat winning both races of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series round in a row.[9][10] A total of 10 Russian drivers were at the event including former 3.5 series Champion Mikhail Aleshin; many taking over other drivers for just this event.[citation needed]
On 21 July 2013, during the World Superbike weekend, Italian rider Andrea Antonelli was killed in the World Supersport race after being hit on the back straight by fellow rider Lorenzo Zanetti. Antonelli was airlifted to hospital where he died of massive head trauma, and the rest of the weekend's action was cancelled due to the torrential downpour.[citation needed]
Track | Distance | Corners | Grade |
---|---|---|---|
Grand Prix #1 | 3.955 km (2.458 mi) | 15 | 1 |
Grand Prix #9 | 3.931 km (2.443 mi) | 14 | 1 |
Sprint #4 | 2.661 km (1.653 mi) | 12 | 2 |
SuperSprint #1 | 1.357 km (0.843 mi) | 10 | 3 |
Full Circuit | 4.070 km (2.529 mi) | 21 | N/A |
The official race lap records at the Moscow Raceway are listed as:
Category | Time | Driver | Vehicle | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Prix #9 Circuit: 3.931 km (2012–present) | ||||
Formula Renault 3.5 | 1:21.686[11] | Stoffel Vandoorne | Dallara T12 | 2013 Moscow Formula Renault 3.5 Series round |
DTM | 1:28.305[12] | Miguel Molina | Audi RS5 DTM | 2014 Moscow DTM round |
Formula 3 | 1:28.623[13] | Esteban Ocon | Dallara F312 | 2014 Moscow F3 European Championship round |
Formula Renault 2.0 | 1:32.535[14] | Egor Orudzhev | Tatuus FR2.0/13 | 2014 Moscow Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 round |
Formula Russia | 1:35.001[15] | Denis Korneev | Tatuus FA010 | 2014 1st Moscow Formula Russia round |
World SBK | 1:35.299[16] | Chaz Davies | BMW S1000RR | 2013 Moscow World SBK round |
Formula 4 | 1:35.928[17] | Richard Verschoor | Tatuus F4-T014 | 2016 Moscow SMP F4 round |
World SSP | 1:38.167[18] | Jules Cluzel | Honda CBR600RR | 2012 Moscow World SSP round |
Eurocup Mégane Trophy | 1:38.733[19] | Mirko Bortolotti | Renault Mégane Renault Sport II | 2013 Moscow Eurocup Mégane Trophy round |
WTCC | 1:40.148 | José María López | Citroën C-Elysée WTCC | 2014 FIA WTCC Race of Russia |
TCR Touring Car | 1:43.338[20] | Egor Fokin | Lada Vesta Sport TCR | 2022 Moscow RCRS round |
GT4 | 1:43.737[21] | Sergey Stolyarov | Mercedes-AMG GT4 | 2021 Moscow RCRS round |
Grand Prix #1 Circuit: 3.955 km (2012–present) | ||||
Formula Renault 3.5 | 1:24.831[22] | Arthur Pic | Dallara T12 | 2012 Moscow Formula Renault 3.5 Series round |
Formula Renault 2.0 | 1:35.738[23] | Daniil Kvyat | Barazi-Epsilon FR2.0-10 | 2012 Moscow Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 round |
GT3 | 1.38.246[24] | Sean Walkinshaw | Nissan GT-R Nismo GT3 | 2015 Moscow Blancpain GT round |
Eurocup Mégane Trophy | 1:41.637[25] | Albert Costa | Renault Mégane Renault Sport II | 2012 Moscow Eurocup Mégane Trophy round |
Sprint #4 Circuit: 2.545 km (2012–present) | ||||
DTM | 0:58.999[26] | Adrien Tambay | Audi RS5 DTM | 2013 Moscow DTM round |