This weekend’s Russian Grand Prix is forecast to be the warmest since the race was added to the calendar six years ago.
Sunday’s race with be the seventh grand prix at the Sochi Autodrom on the Black Sea, in one of the most southernly parts of Russia.Previous editions of this race have been run in temperatures as cool as 18C, both when the event was held early in the season and in its current later slot. The previous high was 27C, recorded during the race in April 2017.
However air temperatures are forecast to peak at 30C on Sunday, with sunshine throughout the day and zero chance of rain. Pirelli has brought the softest tyres in its range for this weekend’s race – the C5, C4 and C3 – and the track normally noted for placing little strain on tyres could prove more demanding than usual.
Similarly warm conditions are expected in the two days of practice leading up to the race. However more cloud cover is expected on Friday and Saturday, which will mean lower track surface temperatures.
Friday is expected to be dry, and Saturday should be too, though there is a very slight risk of rain coinciding with the afternoon’s qualifying session.
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For more updates on the track conditions during each session keep an eye on RaceFans Live and the RaceFans Twitter account.
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Qeki (@qeki)
24th September 2020, 10:51
Softest tyres, 30 degrees, netflix what else for Mercedes..
I don’t want to wish them bad luck but I want to see them in trouble just because this is the track where Merc 1-2 is almost guaranteed.
Jere (@jerejj)
24th September 2020, 14:27
@qeki Yes, the softest end of the compound range and warm weather, but a low-deg track, so shouldn’t be a problem.
Patrick (@paeschli)
25th September 2020, 8:56
They have won every race in Russia since it’s on the calendar, they have finished 1-2 in all except two races. I’m not expecting much of this race.
TEDBELL
24th September 2020, 10:59
What is the attraction of Sochi? Is it the single most forgettable race EVERY year?
How much does Russia pay the FIA to host this style of race? Will this race be dropped for any of the Ten events waiting in the wings to get a race? My vote is to end the embarrassment of racing at such a junior high school event. Drive around the stadium then drive around the fountain. Eight feet of elevation gain and it attracts 35,000 on race day. A bit of a sloppy mess period.
Dump this wasted example and then invest and improve the infrastructure of Mugello. A better place for Grand Prix cars to show their might.
So so Sochi goodbye
H67
24th September 2020, 11:11
Don’t be a hater Qeki and act like the Black Mercedes dominance is a bad thing. Maybe accept you are seeing the greatest driver, racing for the greatest team at a time of extreme challenge. We are witnessing something rare right now. Even though the difference in Quali performance is but small parts of a second between top teams it is still amazing race after race they come back and raise the bar for all to challenge. What is this dominance being looked down at? It’s an amazing moment in time where at each track that you can watch it happen live. Celebrate the great and offer a prayer for the rest.
Witan
24th September 2020, 12:07
Is there not some suggestion that the ‘Russia’ race will move to St Petersburg in the not far future? That would be welcome as Sochi is not the best of tracks, although I’d get rid of Monaco before this track. Monaco pays nothing, it’s a procession, a home race for many drivers, insists on a Thursday practice day and is usually as far from wheel to wheel action we are told fans lust for and unless there is a crash or cock up it’s as boring as it can be.
MacLeod (@macleod)
24th September 2020, 12:47
Monaco is all about qualiflying that is the actually race, Sunday ends in the same order (if there is nothing happening like rainning or heavy crash)
James
24th September 2020, 17:55
Nope, Monaco is a convention of glitterati and corporates with no interest in F1, that just happens to take place on the [extended] Grand Prix weekend
David BR (@david-br)
24th September 2020, 12:28
Has there ever been a memorable race at Socchi? I can’t remember. I guess that’s the point.
TEDBELL
24th September 2020, 12:57
Exactly that’s the point. A Formula One race that nobody remembers more than two moments of this race’s history. A fountain a Stadium and barely a test.
Why do we have such a Grand Prix.
Wilton you are wrong and right about Monaco. Keep in focus just the Race and the challenge of the place. Monaco is a mighty and worthwhile challenge for driver team and fan interest. Think you are off base on Sochi being better.
Jere (@jerejj)
24th September 2020, 14:26
I don’t remember the 2017 event being that warm. The 2016 weekend was relatively cool with figures from the range of 16-18, but the following season, low-20s IIRC. The first two events took place towards the middle of October, and they were in the region of low to mid-20s, while the last two season’s after returning to the latter flyaway-phase, around mid-20s, so yes, unusually warm for the last quarter of September. More or less the same figures as in Montmelo, Monza, and Mugello out of the previous four events. The Nurburgring weekend should be like on a different planet compared to these events, though.