2014: Professional Motorsport World Expo Awards – Motorsport Facility of the Year
The International Grand Prix Circuit of Russia has been an important venue for Formula 1 races since October 2014. The circuit is located near the Georgian border, 33 kilometers from the city of Sochi and near the international airport of Sochi. It consists of a permanent track section with a pit building and all necessary paddock facilities and a temporary part that winds its way through the Olympic Park of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Due to a shortcut the permanent section can be used as a separate circuit for smaller motorsport events. This permanent circuit can be used all year round with a length of 2.7 kilometers, while the temporary section will be used as a public traffic zone.
The track, which is driven clockwise, impresses with several long, wide curves that can be driven through at high speed, as well as technically difficult 90° turns. It has a total length of 5.8 kilometers.
The roofed main grandstand is located opposite the pit building along the start-finish straight. It offers a view into turns 1 and 18, 14 to 16 and the pit lane. The main grandstand includes a café, souvenir stores, the Sochi Car Museum and all necessary adjoining areas.
In addition to four other grandstands, there is a general admission area around the Bolshoi Ice Palace. Depending on the location, Turns 3 to 9 can be overlooked from here. In total, the Sochi Autodrom has 55,000 seats.
Situated in front of the mountain scenery of the Caucasus and close to the coast of the Black Sea, the Sochi Autodrome offers a varied landscape scenery as well as spectacular surrounding architecture. An interplay of modern and historical buildings makes the racing events at the Sochi Autodrome to a unique experience for drivers and spectators.
