Irina Sidorkova Explained

Irina Sidorkova
Nationality: Russian
Birth Date:27 June 2003
Birth Place:Petrozavodsk, Karelia
Current Series:W Series
First Year:2021
Current Team:W Series Academy
Car Number:51
Starts:5 (6 entries)
Wins:0
Podiums:1
Poles:0
Fastest Laps:0
Best Finish:9th
Year:2021
Prev Series:F3 Asian Championship
Russian Circuit Racing Series
F4 Spanish Championship
SMP F4 Championship
Prev Series Years:2021
201718, 2020
2019
201819
Titles:RCRS – National Junior
Title Years:2018

Irina Antonovna Sidorkova (Russian: Ири́на Анто́новна Сидорко́ва; born 27 June 2003 in Petrozavodsk), also known as Ira Sidorkova, is a Russian racing driver. She has competed in the W Series and the F3 Asian Championship.[1] [2]

Biography

Sidorkova began karting aged six, having been inspired to race by the film Cars.[3] Having competed across Northern Russia and the Baltics with success – including an Estonian championship in 2012 – she moved into rallying aged 11 and touring car racing through the Russian Circuit Racing Series aged 13, both opportunities coming through Volkswagen.[4] [5] Having won the National Junior class title in 2018, SMP Racing invited Sidorkova to contest the final round of the Formula 4 Northern European Zone Championship where she finished thirteenth in all three races.[6] The SMP Racing Junior Team took her on board in 2019, and she would contest both the Russian and Spanish Formula 4 series, finishing 6th in the former and 18th in the latter.[7] [8]

Sidorkova applied for the W Series for 2020, a Formula 3 championship for female drivers. She passed the evaluation tests, becoming the youngest driver to do so.[9] [10] She was set to contest the 2020 championship before it was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.[11] A 10-event eSports series was held on iRacing in its place, with Sidorkova taking third place in the championship.[12] She returned to the Russian Circuit Racing Series to fill her empty season, and finished ninth overall in the Touring-Light class with a win at the NRING Circuit.

2021 would see Sidorkova make her debut in the W Series. She started the year racing in the F3 Asian Championship for Evans GP as preparation, where she failed to score any points and finished 22nd out of the 26 participants. She would however score her first W Series podium in only her second appearance, at the Red Bull Ring in Austria.[13] The remainder of the season was plagued with inconsistency as she went on to score points only once more in Hungary and missed the Spa-Francorchamps round after testing positive for COVID-19.[14] Her season was interrupted again in October, with Sidorkova being refused a U.S. visa and thus sitting out the season finale at the Circuit of the Americas. She eventually finished 9th in the standings.[15]

In November 2021, Sidorkova was invited to take part in a one-day FIA Formula 3 test at Magny-Cours, alongside fellow W Series driver Nerea Martí and Iron Dames racers Maya Weug and Doriane Pin.[16]

Sidorkova was set to return to the W Series for 2022, but restrictions placed on Russian drivers in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine forced her out "until further notice."[17] Due to the conflict she did not take part in any of the events that year and returned to the Russian Circuit Racing Series, finishing third outright in the Super Production category with a one race win.

Karting record

Karting career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamPosition
2010Easykart International Grand Finals — Easy 50Karelia Karting TeamNC
2012WSK Final Cup — 60 MiniLuxor Racing Team23rd

Racing record

Racing career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2017Russian Circuit Racing Series - National JuniorRally Academy1031261712nd
2018Russian Circuit Racing Series - National JuniorRally Academy1031561631st
SMP F4 ChampionshipSMP Racing30000023rd
2019SMP F4 ChampionshipSMP Racing110002966th
F4 Spanish ChampionshipDrivex School1800001518th
2020Russian Circuit Racing Series - Touring LightRally Academy1211121109th
2021W SeriesW Series Academy50001349th
F3 Asian ChampionshipEvans GP120000022nd
2022Russian Circuit Racing Series - Super ProductionSofit Racing Team1220261766th
2024Russian Circuit Racing Series - GT4SMP Racing

Complete F4 Spanish Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Complete F3 Asian Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate the fastest lap of top ten finishers)

Complete W Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Notes and References

  1. Web site: F3 Asian Championship Certified by FIA Dubai Entry List and Calendar - automobilsport.com. 2021-01-31. www.automobilsport.com.
  2. News: W Series announces 18 drivers for 2020 season. W Series. 19 October 2019.
  3. News: Under the Visor: Irina Sidorkova. W Series. 26 April 2020.
  4. News: Debut start at Rally Masters Show!. Rally Masters Show Russia. 17 January 2020.
  5. News: IRINA SIDORKOVA: "I HAVE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO GAIN A LOT OF EXPERIENCE". Fast and Fearless. 16 September 2019.
  6. News: Ирина Сидоркова о своем дебюте в "Формуле 4" (in Russian). SMP Racing on YouTube. 15 April 2019.
  7. News: Pilots: Irina Sidorkova. SMP Racing. 17 January 2020.
  8. News: Irina Sidorkova. Speedqueens. 7 June 2019.
  9. News: Fourteen new drivers in first W Series 2020 driver selection test. Formula Scout. 11 September 2019.
  10. News: Irina Sidorkova to take part in the 2020 W Series championship. SMP Racing. 21 October 2019.
  11. Web site: W Series cancels 2020 season but reveals plans for F1 support races in 2021 | Formula 1®.
  12. News: W Series Esports League Ends On A High At Silverstone. W Series. 4 November 2020.
  13. Web site: W Series Austria: Chadwick dominates second Spielberg race. Autosport. 3 July 2021. 27 October 2021.
  14. Web site: STATEMENT ON COVID-19 TEST RESULT FOR W SERIES ACADEMY DRIVER IRINA SIDORKOVA. W Series. 27 August 2021. 27 October 2021.
  15. Web site: Sidorkova to miss W Series Austin finale after US visa denied. Motorsport.com. 21 October 2021. 27 October 2021.
  16. Web site: Wood. Ida. F3 organises private test for W Series stars and Iron Dames racers. Formula Scout. 27 October 2021. 27 October 2021.
  17. News: Allen. Peter. Five new drivers chosen to race in W Series in 2022. Formula Scout. 22 March 2022. 28 March 2022.