In September 2008, it was revealed that work was to begin on a Formula One circuit to be located at the village of Fedyukovo, Volokolamsky District. Official presentation of the project and laying of the first stone was held at the site on 1 October 2008, attended by architect Hermann Tilke and Formula One driver David Coulthard. Hans Geist, who at that time was the managing director of the project, stated that the track could pass an FIA inspection by June 2010, and that even without Formula 1 the project would be profitable staging either DTM or MotoGP. The cost of the project overall was 4.5 billion rub when it opened on 13 July 2012.
Design
Moscow Raceway was designed to be categorized FIA 1T and FIM A, which would allow motorsport competition at any level, from national championships in auto and motorcycle racing, to Formula 1 and MotoGP. The total designed track length is, with widths of between and. The start/finish line has a width of at an elevation of. The longest straight of is designed to allow Formula 1 cars to reach a speed of. The circuit was finally classified as a FIM B grade course following inspections on 18 July 2012, one grade down from what was expected.
Construction
Built under a Russian–German joint venture named "Autobahn", the general contractor for construction of buildings and race track to international level was Stroytech-5, a member of a group of companies Stroytech. Sub-contract partners included Siemens, while Sergei Krylov was working as an adviser. After initially signing a deal with Bernie Ecclestone in 2008, the project was dropped from the 2010 Formula 1 calendar in early 2009, and construction stopped. Construction resumed in June 2010, with the new contractor agreeing to complete the road section of the track by the end of 2011. By September 2011, all asphalt laying had been completed, and construction of the associated pit, support and medical buildings was being undertaken.
Race history
The first events held at the circuit were part of the World Series by Renault on 13–15 July 2012, where it also became the second international motor-sport event in Russian history after the FIA European Truck Racing Championship event took place in the Smolenskring in July 2010. The first race itself was the 5th round of the Formula Renault 3.5 series, which was won by Dutchman Robin Frijns. The first Russian to win a race there soon followed with Daniil Kvyat winning both races of the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series round in a row. A total of 10 Russian drivers were at the event including former 3.5 series Champion Mikhail Aleshin; many taking over other drivers for just this event. On 21 July 2013, during the World Superbike weekend, Italian rider Andrea Antonelli was killed in the World Supersport race after being hit on the back straight by fellow rider Lorenzo Zanetti. Antonelli was airlifted to hospital where he died of massive head trauma, and the rest of the weekend's action was cancelled due to the torrential downpour that unquestionably contributed to the fatal crash.
