Alexey Titov, the CEO of the Rosgonki company that has taken over the running of the Russian Grand Prix, has revealed they are looking into the possibility of making changes to the Sochi Autodrom so to help increase the chances of overtaking at the venue.
Since the race debuted on the Formula 1 schedule back in 2014, there has been minimal overtakes, while the prime strategy has seen one pit stop per race, meaning the racing has been pretty unspectacular, and they are now looking at the track to see if anything can be done to improve the show.
Liberty Media has been looking into making races more exciting, and although the layout of the track is set to remain the same, they are looking at ways that could aid overtaking, such as widening or narrowing certain parts of the track, or changing the type of asphalt, which could force teams into different strategic options.
“Fans know that because of the layout of the Sochi Autodrom, it is a bit short on overtaking,” said Titov to Motorsport.com. “That is why we are working with [F1 race director] Charlie Whiting, the FIA and FOM very closely.
“We want to try to change the situation by making some small technical tweaks. You won’t necessarily see these from the grandstands or on the television, but we hope these tweaks will improve the sporting side of the races and we will have more overtaking.
“Theoretically it could be anything from widening or narrowing some parts of the track, to changing the asphalt which will affect the tyres differently. This can force teams to use different tactics.
“I don’t thinks it’s for 2018. But we’re exploring these ideas. We are thinking about improving the situation.”
