It made its debut on the calendar in 2014 and the race was not exactly a thriller. The 5.848 kilometre long circuit was built around the Sochi Olympic Park, featuring some of the sports venues for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The start line is near the railway station and then the circuit wends its way along a picturesque route past the Medals Plaza, home to the five ringed prize giving ceremonies. The final part is rather slow, with various right angle corners, which require pretty high downforce levels. This circuit, like many of the new generation, puts traction at a premium, highlighting the difficulties of those who don’t have it.
Looking at a map of the track, your eye can’t help but be drawn to the epic Turn 3, a 750m constant-radius left-hander taking the drivers around the outside of the dramatic Poyushchiye fountain. The rest of the track is characterised by a series of 90-degree bends coupled to some rapid, flowing straights-that-aren’t-straight.
Join us later in the afternoon for the latest updates and results from the Russian Grand Prix, as the qualifying session is about to get underway, with Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc at the wheel of the SF90, ready to challenge Mercedes and Red Bull for pole position.
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