Circuit
Sochi Autodrom
Sochi, Russia
The Sochi circuit was laid out around a former Olympic park, and it has a distinctive stop-start rhythm: long, fast sections joined by tight ninety-degree corners, including a notably long, curving third corner that seems to go on and on. The smooth surface and long straights placed a strong premium on efficiency and straight-line speed, while the square corners rewarded strong traction on exit.
Built through the grounds of a winter Olympics site, it had the feel of a street course wrapped around permanent architecture. The mix of flat-out runs and sharp, slow corners made setup a balancing act and kept the emphasis on braking stability and traction.
Hear them live next weekendDriver radio as it happens, with the transcript, in the free app.
Get the appSochi circuit facts
- Lap record
- 1:35.761Lewis Hamilton, 2019
- First Grand Prix
- 2014
On the radio here
1,090 messages recorded at this circuit, 2018 to 2021.
- “Okay mate, that's still P6, shame we lost out a few positions there but it was a very good race mate. What's more in it for us? Yeah we were close to the podium maybe. Yeah Sainz was struggling in P3 so it was definitely on the table, good fight for new mate. How Sainz finished in front of us? We were in front of him no? Yeah he stopped two laps earlier than us. Okay, they are so lucky, you know a little bit less rain. Yeah so Leclerc and Norris tried to stay out, they lost out even more. So Leclerc finished P15, he was right behind you. Yeah yeah sure, I mean nobody predicts the weather and the intensity of the rain so it's just a pure luck.”Fernando ALONSO · 2021 Race
- “Ok man, so that's the checker, that's the checker. Brilliant start and opening lap and that first stint was really good defending against those faster cars and then crazy end and good call on the inters. Lots of other people didn't do that as quick as you did and then as you saw struggled so nice race mate, that was good. Copy man. I had a lock up when I was fighting with the faster cars on the first stint and after that lock up I never had the same grip unfortunately. So yeah, we'll analyse in the comebacks from then. Yeah man, nice job, nice job. We'll have the in button please, the in button.”Nikita MAZEPIN · 2021 Race
- “Guys, whatever we do with the weather forecast, we need to change. Hockenheim, Spa, here, whatever we do is wrong, so... This was a golden opportunity, we didn't take it. Yeah, I think we are on the line with that. Well, I tried my best in these conditions, but... I know you did, there was nothing you could do, we just did the wrong one there. That was bad. Yeah. And again, sorry, a lot of work in front of us. But we are there, we are there with the pace. Just need to put it together.”Pierre GASLY · 2021 Race
- “Okay Daniel, that's P4 mate, P4, good job. It got pretty tasty at the end, well done buddy, that was a good call with the inters. Okay, yeah, that was, spiced it up a little. Okay, yeah, I think that was a good call, so we did what we could, thank you. Lando tried to stay out on the slick tyres and it just got too wet. Yeah, it was really bad through turn 5, this part of the track. Where you guys are wasn't too bad, but yeah, it got very heavy the last couple laps.”Daniel RICCIARDO · 2021 Race