Russian Grand Prix to move from Sochi to Autodrom Igora Drive in St Petersburg in 2023

The Russian Grand Prix is moving home in 2023, after a deal was struck to move the race to a new purpose-built circuit just outside St Petersburg.

Autodrom Igora Drive was designed by Hermann Tilke and will replace Sochi – which has hosted F1 every year since it joined the calendar in 2014 on the site where it hosted the Winter Olympics the same year.

The venue was given Grade 1 status by the FIA at the end of 2020, clearing it to become the second ever Russian host of a Formula 1 Grand Prix.

It is 54km from St Petersburg and just 150km from the border of Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen’s home country of Finland. It boasts 10 different track layouts over approximately 100 hectares.

“I am pleased to confirm following joint intensive work with our Russian partners and detailed assessment of Igora Drive – Formula 1 will be racing at that amazing circuit from 2023,” said F1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali.

“I am impressed by St Petersburg and believe that the Russian Grand Prix at Igora Drive will be an incredible event.”

The German Touring Car series DTM was set to race there on a 15-turn 4.086km anti-clockwise circuit but the event was cancelled because of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Formula 1 says more details on the race will be released in the coming months. This year’s Russian Grands Prix is set to take place at Sochi on September 26.