Igora Drive
Original layout (2019–present)
LocationNovozhilovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia
Time zoneUTC+03:00
Coordinates60°30′48″N 30°11′51″E / 60.51333°N 30.19750°E / 60.51333; 30.19750
Capacity50,000
FIA Grade1[lower-alpha 1]
Broke ground2016
OpenedSeptember 2019 (2019-09)
ArchitectHermann Tilke[1]
Major eventsCurrent:
Russian Circuit Racing Series (2020–present)
Websitehttp://drive-igora.ru/
Grand Prix Circuit (2022–present)
Length5.183 km (3.221 miles)
Turns20
Race lap record1:51.146 (Russia Konstantin Tereshchenko, Mercedes-AMG GT3, 2023, GT3)
Original Circuit (2019–present)
Length4.086 km (2.539 miles)
Turns15
Race lap record1:40.105 (Russia Anton Nemkin, Mercedes-AMG GT4, 2021, GT4)

Igora Drive (Russian: Игора Драйв, romanized: Igora Drayv) is a 5.183 km (3.221 mi) motorsport complex in the resort of Igora near Novozhilovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia.[2] It is located approximately 54 km (34 mi) north of Saint Petersburg.[3]

On 26 June 2021, a contract was announced with the intention of moving the Russian Grand Prix from Sochi Autodrom to Igora starting on 2023 onwards.[3][4] Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the contract for the Grand Prix was terminated on 3 March.[5]

Characteristics

The complex includes ten professional tracks for oval track racing, drifting, rally-cross and motocross, and karting, as well a center for emergency management.[6] The largest grandstand of the main circuit racing will accommodate five thousand people, and the total capacity of the circuit is fifty thousand people. The circuit itself was 4.086 km (2.539 mi) long and 12–15 metres (39–49 ft) wide. In 2022, the circuit length was increased to 5.183 km (3.221 mi) by featuring 20.5 metres (67 ft) of elevation changes instead of 17 metres (56 ft).[7]

Competition

In 2019, the complex signed an agreement with the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series. The contract runs for three years, with the option of a two-year extension. The first race was to be held from 29 to 31 May 2020 with W Series in support, but both races were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia.[8][9][10] An agreement was also signed with organisers of the FIA World Rallycross Championship to host the World RX of Russia in 2020.[11] However, it was later removed from the schedule due to contractual issues.[12] Igora Drive hosted the second round of the 2020 Russian Circuit Racing Series on 25 and 26 July.

From 2023, the Formula One Russian Grand Prix was initially set to be held at this track.[13] For the Formula One race, the circuit was extended from 4.086 km (2.539 mi) to 5.183 km (3.221 mi) at the end of lap, resulting in 20 turns overall from the current 15, with both of the straights extended.[14] However, in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Grand Prix contract was terminated and all future races cancelled.[15]

Events

Current

Lap records

As of July 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Igora Drive are listed as:

Class/CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.183 km (2022–present)
GT31:51.146[16]Konstantin TereshchenkoMercedes-AMG GT32023 Igora Drive SMP RSKG Endurance round
GT42:00.830[17]Aleksandr VartanyanToyota Supra GT42022 Igora Drive RCRS round
TCR Touring Car2:01.529[18]Dmitry BraginCupra León Competición TCR2023 Igora Drive RCRS round
Original Circuit: 4.086 km (2019–present)
GT41:40.105[19]Anton NemkinMercedes-AMG GT42021 Igora Drive RCRS round
TCR Touring Car1:40.235[20]Kirill LadyginLADA Vesta Sport TCR2020 Igora Drive RCRS round
Group CN1:44.157[21]Aleksandr AbkhazavaArtline Legends EVO2022 Igora Drive RCRS round

Notes

  1. ↑ Igora Drive's Grade 1 license expired 5 October 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Автодром "Игора-драйв" будет проводить этап гоночной серии DTM". rsport.ria.ru (in Russian). МИА «Россия сегодня» (Спорт. РИА «Новости»). 3 October 2019. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  2. ↑ "Igora Drive Circuit Info & Hotels". RaceTrackWorld.com. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Russian Grand Prix to move from Sochi to Igora Drive in Saint Petersburg from 2023". www.formula1.com. Formula One. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  4. ↑ Smith, Luke; Marpov, Oleg (26 June 2021). "Russian Grand Prix set to move to Igora Drive from 2023". www.motorsport.com. Motorsport. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  5. ↑ Benson, Andrew (3 March 2022). "Formula 1 terminates contract with Russian Grand Prix". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Дмитрий Зимин (3 October 2019). ""Игора Драйв": под Петербургом открыли гоночный комплекс". sport-express.ru (in Russian). «Спорт-Экспресс». Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  7. ↑ "Открытие новой конфигурации шоссейно-кольцевой трассы Автодрома «Игора Драйв»". 20 July 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  8. ↑ "Россия примет этап чемпионата DTM 29-31 мая 2020 года". raf.su (in Russian). Российская автомобильная федерация. 2019. Archived from the original on 24 August 2021. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  9. ↑ Рустам Валиулин (3 October 2019). "Автодром "Игора драйв" под Петербургом примет этап гоночной серии, но это не "Формула-1"". sportsdaily.ru (in Russian). «Спорт День за Днем». Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  10. ↑ "W Series to race in Russia and Sweden in 2020". wseries.com. W Series. 31 October 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  11. ↑ Ridge, Hal. "Russia's Igora Drive completes 2020 World Rallycross calendar". Autosport.com.
  12. ↑ Ridge, Hal (4 May 2020). "World RX season to begin in August as new calendar is issued". motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  13. ↑ Smith, Luke (26 June 2021). "Russian Grand Prix set to move to Igora Drive from 2023". motorsport.com.
  14. ↑ "Igora Drive building new track extension for first F1 race in 2023". racefans.net. 22 July 2021.
  15. ↑ Benson, Andrew. "Formula 1 terminates contract with Russian Grand Prix". Formula One. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  16. ↑ "2023 RCRS Endurance Stage 2 Igora Drive Race Result" (PDF). 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "2022 RCRS Igora Drive GT4 Race 2 Report" (PDF). 11 September 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 December 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  18. ↑ "SMP RCRS 2023 Igora Drive Race 2 Result of SMP TCR Russia & SuperProduction" (PDF). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  19. ↑ "2021 RCRS Igora Drive GT4 Race 1 Report" (PDF). 25 July 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 3 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  20. ↑ "TCR Russia 2020 » Igora Drive Round 3 Results". Retrieved 31 March 2023.
  21. ↑ "2022 RCRS Igora Drive CN Race 1 Report" (PDF). 10 September 2022. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 September 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
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