The Smolensk Ring is a circuit in western Russia near the town of Safonovo in the settlement of Verkhnedneprovsky. It is located 90 km (56 mi) east of its namesake city of Smolensk and about 250 km (160 mi) west of Moscow.
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Location | Safonovo, Safonovsky District, Smolensk Oblast |
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Time zone | MSK+00 (UTC+04) |
Coordinates | 54°59′19.5″N 33°22′5.4″E |
FIA Grade | 4 |
Broke ground | 2007 |
Opened | August 2010 |
Architect | Hermann Tilke |
Major events | Current: Russian Circuit Racing Series (2011–present) Former: TCR Europe (2016) FIA European Truck Racing Championship (2010–2013) |
Full Circuit (2010–present) | |
Length | 3.362 km (2.089 miles) |
Turns | 13 |
The construction of the 3.362 km (2.089 mi) circuit started in 2007, and the inaugural international event was a round of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship in August 2010.
The Smolensk Ring was initially supposed to host rounds of the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2011,[1][2] however this was later postponed to 2012 because the track didn't complete in time modifications required to garner the necessary FIA track license.[3][4]
The track was designed by Hermann Tilke and his design bureau using the features of the pre-existing landscape of the designated area, resulting in a 3.362 km (2.089 mi), 12–15 m (13–16 yd) wide track containing fast corners, straights and twisty sections.[5][6]
The race track, with the prerequisite modifications in place, will fulfil the International Automobile Federation (FIA) requirements for a Grade 2 race track, and the first category according to the classification of the Russian Automobile Federation (RAF). With the FIA Grade 2 license, the Smolensk Ring will be able to host motor racing for all classes except Formula One.[7] But it was lastly graded by Grade 4 until 24 May 2020.
Russian Touring Car Championship driver Yuri Semenchev was killed in an accident at the circuit in August 2012.[8]
August 2010 — 5 stage FIA European Truck Racing Championship (Truck Battle Russia 2010)
22 May 2011 — 1 stage RTCC (Russian Touring Car Championship)
30–31 July 2011 — 6 stageFIA European Truck Racing Championship (Truck Battle Russia 2011)
9 October 2011 — 7 stage RTCC (Russian Touring Car Championship)
Russian Circuit Racing Series circuits (2004–present) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |
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Circuits of the TCR Europe Touring Car Series (2016–present) | |
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Current (2022) | |
Former |
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European Truck Racing Championship circuits (from 2001) | |
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Current (2022) |
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Former |