Russia will be ready for 2014
Discreet for several months about the progress of the project to the point of causing some to doubt the timelines will be met, the officials of the Formula 1 circuit project in Sochi, which could host the Russian Grand Prix from 2014, now claim that they are currently reaching the final stages of construction.
Respecting the construction deadlines of a track is not an easy task. The New Jersey circuit is a perfect example. Initially scheduled for June 16, 2013, the Grand Prix in question will not take place until 2014. That same year will also see the Russian Grand Prix, which seems well on track to be ready on time.
Indeed, according to the event organizers, the Sochi circuit will be ready to host the Russian Grand Prix in 2014. The track, nearly 6 kilometers long and bordering the facilities planned for the Winter Olympics held in the same year, is currently reaching the final stages of construction: Many large facilities dedicated to the Olympics are already built. Some sports infrastructures have even been submitted to the commission. The buildings dedicated to motorsports are in an active phase of their development, the officials indicate. The construction teams are making good progress with ground preparation and asphalt laying. The first layer of pavement has been placed in some areas of the circuit.
Sochi, like the vast majority of modern F1 tracks, is the work of Hermann Tilke. The latter stated that he was very involved in the realization of the project. He adds: “We [Tilke and the construction team, ed.] are very happy to see that everything is going according to plan, taking into account the necessary coordination related to the Winter Olympic Games.”
Meeting deadlines was not guaranteed. In May, the Russian International Automobile Federation mentioned possible delays in the construction of the track, as the Olympic Games remained the country’s priority. The possibility of holding a Grand Prix in Moscow was frequently discussed in case the team behind the current project failed to meet its commitments. The demonstrations by Lewis Hamilton, Giancarlo Fisichella, and Charles Pic at the foot of the Kremlin last July have therefore boosted the motivation of the teams working in Sochi.
All that remains is to hope that the cold wave currently sweeping across the country does not get in their way. Such a thing would be unfortunate, as it is rare to see a potential delay being made up for in the field of construction.
