FIA licenses Igora Drive racing track near St. Petersburg to host F1 Grands Prix

MOSCOW, November 11. /TASS/. The International Automobile Federation (FIA) has issued a license for the Igora Drive circuit outside the country’s second largest city of St. Petersburg, acknowledging the track as suitable for hosting Formula One races, the press service of Igora Drive said in a statement on Wednesday. "The issued license of the top level means that Igora Drive has now the right to host all series of the international auto racing competitions, including Formula One GPs," according to the statement. "The acknowledgement of compliance with international standards is another important step in the development of auto racing sports in St. Petersburg, Russia and the world on the whole," the statement adds. The Igora Drive is now Russia’s third auto racing track officially licensed by FIA to hold Formula One races. The Sochi Autodrom, which has been hosting F1 Russia Grands Prix since 2014, was the first track to receive this privilege. The Moscow Raceway circuit outside the Russian capital was also licensed by FIA in October 2014 to host F1 races. The construction of the Igora Drive, which is located about 55 kilometers (34 miles) from St. Petersburg, began in 2016. The 4,084-kilometers racing circuit neighbors a multi-sport complex, which offers rallycross and motorcross tracks, a karting track, as well as an off-road driving center. The Igora Drive was designed by Hermann Tilke, the architect of numerous FIA Grade 1 racing tracks, which host Formula 1 Grands Prix, including the Sochi Autodrom in the Russian southern resort city of Sochi. The Sochi Autodrom is the only racing circuit in Russia that hosted Formula 1 races. Located in the Olympic Park, the venue of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, the 5,848-meter long racing circuit in the Black Sea coastal area has already successfully hosted seven F1 Grand Prix races. In late 2014, the Sochi Autodrom was awarded the trophy of Formula One’s best racing track of the year. The Race Promoters' Trophy is a rotating award, engraved with the names of other top F1 tracks dating from 1975. Read more