F1 – Russian Grand Prix (Sochi) 2021: the free practice program

Two weeks after the spectacular Monza Grand Prix and Italy, the great circus of Formula 1 travels to the Black Sea for the Russian Grand Prix. Located on the old facilities of the 2014 Winter Olympics, the Sochi route is halfway between the road route and the town route. This 5.848 km track offers very fast turns like in the first sector with the sequence of turns 2 and 3, as well as slow turns like the last sector and the two chicanes between turns 14 and 17. This circuit which is reputed to be not very aggressive on the tires (even if this phenomenon is reduced over time), suggests two major overtaking zones which are located during braking of turn 2 as well as that of turn 14.

When Finns collide ????????

Bottas’s podium hopes were dashed by Raikkonen at Sochi back in 2015 #RussianGP # F1 pic.twitter.com/J9osnZraZI

– Formula 1 (@ F1) September 21, 2021

Return to the format of three practice sessions

After a messed up format during the Monza Grand Prix with a second sprint qualifying test this season, Formula 1 returns to the traditional pattern this weekend with three free practice sessions before a classic qualifying session to determine the starting grid. The teams will therefore have three hours of testing to adjust their cars. at the convenience of their pilots before the real fun begins on Saturday afternoon. Weather side, rain has already been announced for the three days of this race weekend. After the trauma of the Grand Prix de Spa-Francorchamps, fans hope to avoid another disaster scenario and see the cars race the entire Grand Prix. If it rains on Sunday, it would be the first rainy race in Sochi since it was introduced to the calendar in 2014.