2014 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix
The Sochi Autodrom circuit is Formula One’s newest venue, finally making reality of a Russian Grand Prix that has been rumoured for the last 30 years. The 5.848km circuit is the third-longest on the current calendar and winds between many of venues in the Olympic Park constructed for the 2014 Winter Games.
The circuit in Sochi isn’t a street circuit in the traditional sense, it uses 1.7km of public roads but the rest has been created for the race, with work to complete the surface beginning at the conclusion of the Olympics.
The circuit has been mapped and fed into simulators but, as with any new venue, the real data gathering doesn’t begin until first free practice. With fresh tarmac, the circuit won’t be at its most grippy this year, meaning the Russian Grand Prix will demand outstanding levels of car control.
McLaren’s record on new circuits is enviable, scoring podium finishes at seven of the nine inaugural grand prix held this century, including hard-fought victories in Turkey and at the Circuit of the Americas.
