Russia on track for 2014 debut

18/11/2012

Mat Coch writes:

Russia will be ready to host its first ever Grand Prix in 2014 according to circuit designer Hermann Tilke.

The 5.9km circuit is based around the Sochi Winter Olympics site, officials previously warning that Formula One would be forced to take a back seat to the Games if it looked likely to interfere with the Olympics. Tilke however, Formula One's circuit designer of choice, is confident that won't happen.

"I can say that everything is going according to schedule," he is quoted as saying by the Inside the Games website. "We're deeply involved in the construction of the circuit at the moment.

"We'll be able to build the track in time, which means by 2014."

In 2010 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a seven-year deal with Bernie Ecclestone believed to be worth $40million for the inaugural event in 2014.