Sochi, Russia’s largest resort city has already been marked on the 2014 calendar for its F1 debut as well as hosts to the XII Olympic and XI Paralympic Winter Games. If that wasn’t enough to make an already tourist city a sporting destination, the Russian Government now wants MotoGP and WSBK to scorch the tracks of 5.8 kms long Sochi Olympic Park Circuit- a $220 million fully government backed project under progress for the inaugural Russian F1 Grand Prix next year.
Hermann Tilke, the famed architect behind the Sepang International Circuit, Bahrain International Circuit, Shanghai International Circuit, Istanbul Park Racing Circuit, Valencia Street Circuit, Marina Bay Street Circuit, and the new Austin Circuit in the US- is at the helm of affairs at the Sochi Olympic Park Circuit. He feels the 321 kph F1 circuit could conform to the MotoGP and WSBK guidelines with slight amendments to the regulations.
With the diminishing popularity of track oriented motor racing- particularly F1, its indeed good news to see new motorsports arenas opening up new avenues for the international racing federations in terms of interest and revenue, both for the federation as well as the hosting nations.
Also on a similar note, we eagerly await WBSK and MotoGP to burn rubber at the Buddh International Circuit.