Eurasia circuit secures GT1 round

Following a visit to the site of the new track by Stephane Ratel and Patricia Kiefer, a contract was put in place to hold Russia's first major international motor race at the three-kilometre long circuit.

Clive Bowen, whose Apex Circuit Design company is in charge of construction at the new venue, said: "The site for the circuit is very small but has the three key attributes I would always seek: first; it is well served by road access and provides two opportunities to arrive and depart.

"Second; there is space enough for a decent main straight; in this instance we have managed to engineer 700 metres with a key overtaking opportunity engineered at the end of that straight, and third; there is some really helpful natural topography which has allowed us to engineer three key sections of circuit which rise and fall at important racing locations and enhance the driving and racing experience.

"We wanted to avoid too many low speed corners, though on a site as compact as this it is impossible to have fewer than three; and we have one really good section of flowing race circuit with speeds ever increasing all the way from Turn 1 to Turn 7."