Russian GP could alternate between Sochi and Igora Drive

The promoters for the Russian GP says the event could alternate at some point in the future between Sochi and the race's new venue Igora Drive.

Formula 1 announced last week a change of scenery for the Russian GP from 2023 and a move to Igora Drive, a 4.086 km track designed by Hermann Tilke that is situated approximately 80km north of St. Petersburg, near the Finnish border.

Despite the change of venue, Rosganski will remain the promoter of the Russian GP as its contract with FOM runs until 2025.

And while the company's focus is on Igora Drive, Sochi Autodrom will retain its FIA Grade 1 licence, thus remaining eligible to host an F1 Grand Prix in the future.

"The idea of alternating races has not yet been completely swept away," Rosgonki CEO Alexey Titov told Motorsport.com. "I would not say that the discussion of it exists as an active topic, but it is still not completely closed.

"We are still focused on working out a detailed plan for the race in St. Petersburg. This is the priority now. How the event will evolve further is the next question.

"The contract ends in 2025. Sooner or later, discussions should begin about whether we will extend it or not.

"Of course, in these discussions, discussions will also arise on the topic of conditions, format, and so on. But these are the discussions of the future."

Regarding the race's move to Igora Drive, Titov revealed that the current layout will receive a 1-km extension to accommodate F1, with the new loop that will feature a complex of left-hand corners with elevation changes located in the final sector of the anti-clockwise track.

"There is a plan that the track is going to be lengthened," Titov said. "In the current configuration it is closer to the end of the list in length if we compare it with other tracks in the Formula 1 calendar.

"Therefore, it needs to be made longer. A little more elevation difference will be added, some turns will become banked, so from a sporting point of view it will be an exciting sight."

• Read also: Igora Drive to host Russian GP from 2023!

Igora Drive's planned extension will increase the track's length to 5.18 km. Furthermore, building plans also include changes to various infrastructure and the extension of several zones.

"In terms of size, the facility is not much different from European tracks if we talk about the main infrastructure, such as the main grandstand, the pit building and so on," said Titov.

"Therefore, there will definitely not be any restructuring, but we will expand or lengthen a number of zones.

"There are really not enough garages, we will increase their number. But this is solved by temporary structures and neat aesthetic extensions to the building."

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