Igora Drive

Igora Drive

Original Circuit (2019–present)
Location	Novozhilovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia
Time zone	UTC+03:00
Coordinates	60°30′48″N 30°11′51″E
Capacity	50,000
FIA Grade	1 (both layouts)
Broke ground	2016
Opened	September 2019; 5 years ago (2019-09)
Architect	Hermann Tilke[1]
Major events	Current: Russian Circuit Racing Series (2020–present)
Website	http://drive-igora.ru/
Grand Prix Circuit (2022–present)
Length	5.183 km (3.221 miles)
Turns	20
Race lap record	1:50.184 ( Konstantin Tereshchenko, Ligier JS53 Evo 2, 2024, CN)
Original Circuit (2019–present)
Length	4.086 km (2.539 miles)
Turns	15
Race lap record	1:39.327 ( Renat Ibragimov, Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup, 2020, Carrera Cup)

Igora Drive (Russian: Игора Драйв, romanized: Igora Drayv) is a 5.183 km (3.221 mi) motorsport complex in the resort of Igora near^[vague] 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 and a significant uphill section.[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

• June: Russian Circuit Racing Series, SMP RSKG Endurance
• July: Russian Endurance Challenge

Lap records

As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Igora Drive are listed as:

Class/Category	Time	Driver	Vehicle	Event
Grand Prix Circuit: 5.183 km (2022–present)
Group CN	1:50.184[16]	Konstantin Tereshchenko	Ligier JS53 Evo 2	2024 Igora Drive RSKG Endurance round
GT3	1:51.146[17]	Konstantin Tereshchenko	Mercedes-AMG GT3	2023 Igora Drive SMP RSKG Endurance round
GT4	2:00.830[18]	Aleksandr Vartanyan	Toyota Supra GT4	2022 Igora Drive RCRS round
TCR Touring Car	2:01.529[19]	Dmitry Bragin	Cupra León Competición TCR	2023 Igora Drive RCRS round
Original Circuit: 4.086 km (2019–present)
Porsche Carrera Cup	1:39.327[20]	Renat Ibragimov	Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup	2020 Igora Drive Porsche Sport Challenge Russia round
GT4	1:40.105[21]	Anton Nemkin	Mercedes-AMG GT4	2021 Igora Drive RCRS round
TCR Touring Car	1:40.235[22]	Kirill Ladygin	LADA Vesta Sport TCR	2020 Igora Drive RCRS round
Group CN	1:44.157[23]	Aleksandr Abkhazava	Artline Legends EVO	2022 Igora Drive RCRS round

Notes

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. "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. Archived from the original on 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. "RCRS Endurance 2024 Stage 4 - Race - Result of Endurance" (PDF). 25 August 2024. Retrieved 25 August 2024.
17. "2023 RCRS Endurance Stage 2 Igora Drive Race Result" (PDF). 27 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
18. "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.
19. "SMP RCRS 2023 Igora Drive Race 2 Result of SMP TCR Russia & SuperProduction" (PDF). 9 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.
20. "2020 Porsche Sport Challenge - Igora Drive - Result of Race 1 - Sport Challenge" (PDF). 12 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
21. "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.
22. "TCR Russia 2020 » Igora Drive Round 3 Results". 26 July 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2023.
23. "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.

External links

• Media related to Igora Drive at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website