After a short break, the F1 paddock will reconvene this weekend in Sochi for the 15th round of the 2015 season.
It will be the second race in the sport’s history to take place in Russia, following the event’s debut last season.
The tricky street track winds around the famous Olympic Park, which previously hosted the Winter Olympic Games in February 2014. Attempts were made to bring F1 to Russia prior to last season’s maiden race, with numerous plans over the last 30 years.
Just two Russian drivers have competed in Formula 1, with Vitaly Petrov being the first. He raced for Renault/Lotus and Caterham between 2010 and 2012.
Daniil Kvyat is the only current driver from the country racing in the sport. The youngster was a rookie in 2014 for Toro Rosso but was promoted to Red Bull for this season and has enjoyed some strong outings in recent races.
It will be Kvyat’s second time competing in F1 on home soil. Last year he qualified fifth but finished down in 14th. There are also two Russian drivers racing at the Sochi Autodrom in GP2 this weekend, with RUSSIAN TIME’s Artem Markelov and Rapax’s Sergey Sirotkin keen to impress.
A lap of the 3.637 mile circuit kicks off on the start/finish straight. The pit lane is to the right and feeds cars back out on track just after the fast right-hand kink of Turn 1. The flat-out section continues with a long straight, which is where the first DRS zone will be, before the heavy braking zone for the following chicane.
The second corner is a challenging left-right section. It is the best overtaking spot on the track and the wide exit means there is room to run side-by-side. We saw plenty of drivers taking to the run-off area here in 2014.
The third turn is an unusual, long left-hander. Speed builds throughout and it is similar to Turn 8 at Istanbul Park. Some regard it as the best corner on the Sochi circuit. Turn 4, a slow, 90-degree right, features a tricky braking zone as it immediately follows the previous corner.
A short straight is next up, bringing the first sector to a close, before the 90-degree right-hander of Turn 5 (there are a lot of similar corners at the track!). The sixth bend is a quick right-hand kink, with the medium-speed left of Turn 7 – which has a huge run-off area on the exit – next up.
After a short flat-out section is the double-apex left of the eighth and ninth corners, with the 90-degree right of Turn 10 soon after. The long back straight, containing two kinks, is where the second DRS zone will be. With the 13th and 14th corners, the first in the final sector, making up a slow right-left complex, this is another strong overtaking opportunity.
The last part of the lap is challenging and requires a good rhythm. The left-right chicane of turns 15 and 16 follows before the medium-speed right of Turn 17.
The entrance to the pit lane is on the short straight just prior to the penultimate corner. The final bend is a similarly slow right-hander, with traction out of these low-speed turns being vital for a good lap time.
With several flat-out sections, the circuit does put a strain on the V6 Turbo power units. Pirelli will bring the super-soft and soft compound tyres to Sochi, due to the circuit’s variety of corner types. This is a step up compared to last year’s choices by Pirelli.
Last year’s event wasn’t the most thrilling race of the 2014 season. Lewis Hamilton dominated for Mercedes after team-mate Nico Rosberg locked up heavily at Turn 2 on the opening lap and had to make an unscheduled pit stop.
The German recovered to second place after passing Valtteri Bottas, with the Williams driver completing the podium. Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen, Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel were next up. The result saw Mercedes claim the constructors’ title.
This weekend, Mercedes looks set to be competitive once again but the slow corners could mean Ferrari has a chance of a good result. Williams went well in Sochi last year and the track should suit the FW37.
The long straights will not favour McLaren and it looks set to be another difficult weekend for the team, although Button will be pleased that his plans for 2016 are now secure. Hopefully we will be treated to a more exciting Russian Grand Prix compared to last year.
Russian Grand Prix Fact File
Location: Sochi, Russia
Track Length: 3.636 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 18
Laps: 53
First race: 2014
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and soft
2014 race winner: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2014 pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:38.513
2014 fastest lap: Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:40.896
Live on: Sky Sports F1
 |
| © Scuderia Ferrari |
The tricky street track winds around the famous Olympic Park, which previously hosted the Winter Olympic Games in February 2014. Attempts were made to bring F1 to Russia prior to last season’s maiden race, with numerous plans over the last 30 years.
Just two Russian drivers have competed in Formula 1, with Vitaly Petrov being the first. He raced for Renault/Lotus and Caterham between 2010 and 2012.
Daniil Kvyat is the only current driver from the country racing in the sport. The youngster was a rookie in 2014 for Toro Rosso but was promoted to Red Bull for this season and has enjoyed some strong outings in recent races.
 |
| © Williams Martini Racing |
It will be Kvyat’s second time competing in F1 on home soil. Last year he qualified fifth but finished down in 14th. There are also two Russian drivers racing at the Sochi Autodrom in GP2 this weekend, with RUSSIAN TIME’s Artem Markelov and Rapax’s Sergey Sirotkin keen to impress.
A lap of the 3.637 mile circuit kicks off on the start/finish straight. The pit lane is to the right and feeds cars back out on track just after the fast right-hand kink of Turn 1. The flat-out section continues with a long straight, which is where the first DRS zone will be, before the heavy braking zone for the following chicane.
The second corner is a challenging left-right section. It is the best overtaking spot on the track and the wide exit means there is room to run side-by-side. We saw plenty of drivers taking to the run-off area here in 2014.
The third turn is an unusual, long left-hander. Speed builds throughout and it is similar to Turn 8 at Istanbul Park. Some regard it as the best corner on the Sochi circuit. Turn 4, a slow, 90-degree right, features a tricky braking zone as it immediately follows the previous corner.
A short straight is next up, bringing the first sector to a close, before the 90-degree right-hander of Turn 5 (there are a lot of similar corners at the track!). The sixth bend is a quick right-hand kink, with the medium-speed left of Turn 7 – which has a huge run-off area on the exit – next up.
After a short flat-out section is the double-apex left of the eighth and ninth corners, with the 90-degree right of Turn 10 soon after. The long back straight, containing two kinks, is where the second DRS zone will be. With the 13th and 14th corners, the first in the final sector, making up a slow right-left complex, this is another strong overtaking opportunity.
 |
| © Mercedes AMG Petronas |
The last part of the lap is challenging and requires a good rhythm. The left-right chicane of turns 15 and 16 follows before the medium-speed right of Turn 17.
The entrance to the pit lane is on the short straight just prior to the penultimate corner. The final bend is a similarly slow right-hander, with traction out of these low-speed turns being vital for a good lap time.
With several flat-out sections, the circuit does put a strain on the V6 Turbo power units. Pirelli will bring the super-soft and soft compound tyres to Sochi, due to the circuit’s variety of corner types. This is a step up compared to last year’s choices by Pirelli.
Last year’s event wasn’t the most thrilling race of the 2014 season. Lewis Hamilton dominated for Mercedes after team-mate Nico Rosberg locked up heavily at Turn 2 on the opening lap and had to make an unscheduled pit stop.
The German recovered to second place after passing Valtteri Bottas, with the Williams driver completing the podium. Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen, Fernando Alonso, Daniel Ricciardo and Sebastian Vettel were next up. The result saw Mercedes claim the constructors’ title.
This weekend, Mercedes looks set to be competitive once again but the slow corners could mean Ferrari has a chance of a good result. Williams went well in Sochi last year and the track should suit the FW37.
The long straights will not favour McLaren and it looks set to be another difficult weekend for the team, although Button will be pleased that his plans for 2016 are now secure. Hopefully we will be treated to a more exciting Russian Grand Prix compared to last year.
 |
| © Formula 1 |
Location: Sochi, Russia
Track Length: 3.636 miles
Direction: Clockwise
Turns: 18
Laps: 53
First race: 2014
Tyre compounds: Super-soft and soft
2014 race winner: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
2014 pole position: Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, 1:38.513
2014 fastest lap: Valtteri Bottas, Williams, 1:40.896
Live on: Sky Sports F1
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