| Igora Drive | |
| Location: | Novozhilovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia |
| Events: | Current: Russian Circuit Racing Series (2020–present) |
| Broke Ground: | 2016 |
| Capacity: | 50,000 |
| Fiagrade: | 1 (both layouts) |
| Architect: | Hermann Tilke[1] |
| Layout1: | Grand Prix Circuit (2022–present) |
| Length Km: | 5.183 |
| Length Mi: | 3.221 |
| Turns: | 20 |
| Record Time: | 1:51.146 |
| Record Driver: |  Konstantin Tereshchenko |
| Record Car: | Mercedes-AMG GT3 |
| Record Year: | 2023 |
| Record Class: | GT3 |
| Layout2: | Original Circuit (2019–present) |
| Length Km2: | 4.086 |
| Length Mi2: | 2.539 |
| Turns2: | 15 |
| Record Time2: | 1:39.327 |
| Record Driver2: | Renat Ibragimov |
| Record Car2: | Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup |
| Record Year2: | 2020 |
| Record Class2: | Carrera Cup |
Igora Drive (Russian: Игора Драйв|Igora Drayv) is a motorsport complex in the resort of Igora near Novozhilovo, Leningrad Oblast, Russia.[2] It is located approximately north of Saint Petersburg.[3]
On 26 June 2021, a contract was announced with the intention of moving the Russian Grand Prix from Sochi Autodrom to Igora starting on 2023 onwards.[4] Due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the contract for the Grand Prix was terminated on 3 March.[5]
The complex includes ten professional tracks for oval track racing, drifting, rally-cross and motocross, and karting, as well a center for emergency management.[6] The largest grandstand of the main circuit racing will accommodate five thousand people, and the total capacity of the circuit is fifty thousand people. The circuit itself was 4.086km (02.539miles) long and NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet) wide. In 2022, the circuit length was increased to 5.183km (03.221miles) by featuring 20.5m (67.3feet) of elevation changes instead of 17m (56feet).[7]
In 2019, the complex signed an agreement with the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series. The contract runs for three years, with the option of a two-year extension. The first race was to be held from 29 to 31 May 2020 with W Series in support, but both races were cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia.[8] [9] [10] An agreement was also signed with organisers of the FIA World Rallycross Championship to host the World RX of Russia in 2020.[11] However, it was later removed from the schedule due to contractual issues.[12] Igora Drive hosted the second round of the 2020 Russian Circuit Racing Series on 25 and 26 July.
From 2023, the Formula One Russian Grand Prix was initially set to be held at this track.[13] For the Formula One race, the circuit was extended from 4.086km (02.539miles) to 5.183km (03.221miles) at the end of lap, resulting in 20 turns overall from the current 15, with both of the straights extended and a significant uphill section.[14] However, in the wake of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Grand Prix contract was terminated and all future races cancelled.[15]
As of July 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Igora Drive are listed as:
| Grand Prix Circuit: 5.183 km (2022–present) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1:51.146[16] | 2023 Igora Drive SMP RSKG Endurance round | |||
| 2:00.830[17] | 2022 Igora Drive RCRS round | |||
| 2:01.529[18] | 2023 Igora Drive RCRS round | |||
| Original Circuit: 4.086 km (2019–present) | ||||
| 1:39.327[19] | 2020 Igora Drive Porsche Sport Challenge Russia round | |||
| 1:40.105[20] | 2021 Igora Drive RCRS round | |||
| 1:40.235[21] | 2020 Igora Drive RCRS round | |||
| 1:44.157[22] | 2022 Igora Drive RCRS round | |||