Smolensk Ring


The Smolensk Ring is a circuit in western Russia near the town of Safonovo in the settlement of Verkhnedneprovsky. It is located east of its namesake city of Smolensk and about west of Moscow. The construction of the circuit started in 2007, and the inaugural international event was a round of the FIA European Truck Racing Championship in August 2010.
The Smolensk Ring was initially supposed to host rounds of the FIA GT3 European Championship in 2011, however this was later postponed to 2012 because the track didn't complete in time modifications required to garner the necessary FIA track license.

History

The track was designed by Hermann Tilke and his design bureau using the features of the pre-existing landscape of the designated area, resulting in a, wide track containing fast corners, straights and twisty sections.
The race track, with the prerequisite modifications in place, will fulfill the International Automobile Federation requirements for a Grade 2 race track, and the first category according to the classification of the Russian Automobile Federation. With the FIA Grade 2 license, the Smolensk Ring would be able to host motor racing for all classes except Formula One. But it was lastly graded by Grade 4 until 24 May 2020.
Russian Touring Car Championship driver Yuri Semenchev was killed in an accident at the circuit in August 2012.

Action sports

August 2010 — 5 stage FIA European Truck Racing Championship

22 May 2011 — 1 stage RTCC

30–31 July 2011 — 6 stageFIA European Truck Racing Championship

9 October 2011 — 7 stage RTCC

Lap records

As of May 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Smolensk Ring are listed as: