SOCHI, Russia – October 11, 2022 – The Russian Drift Series Grand Prix (RDS GP) enters the finish line – one stage remains until the end of the 2022 season, which will traditionally host the Autodrom of Sochi on the Black Sea coast.
The Olympic Park track is well known to participants of the country’s main drift championship, because for several consecutive years the fate of the championship has been decided here. The special feature of the autodrome is the concrete bumpers framing the racing canvas, which leaves no chance for athletes to make mistakes.
Additionally, the setup of the RDS GP rated section at Sochi Autodrom includes a unique element not found at any other track on the championship schedule. The turn loop in the middle of the distance divides it into two halves, and the pilots pass the same segment in opposite directions with different trajectories.
You can watch the RDS GP weekend in Sochi in full format both from the stands of the famous autodrome with an overview of the entire section of the track being evaluated, and on the RDS TV platform – broadcasts Live video will show qualifying and pair races from the TOP 32 to the final battle for victory.
Chivchyan and Idiyatulin – tied on points
Before the decisive battle for the championship, the two leaders of the RDS GP-2022 individual classification had the most interesting situation – Georgy Chivchyan of Krasnoyarsk (Forward Auto) and Damir Idiyatulin (SINTEC FRESH AUTO DRIFT) scored an equal number of points based on the results of the last six steps.
With 1043 credit points to their name, both drivers have a strong chance of winning the championship. The two athletes have already won two victories at the RDS GP-2022 stages, and now much will depend on which of this pair of pilots will take the highest place in the pair races.
Potentially, the question of the championship can be removed from the qualification, if one of the leaders wins it, and the second ends up at the bottom of the protocols. This scenario is unlikely, although anything can happen at Sochi Autodrom. Technical problems, accidents or the phenomenal passage of one of the pilots can play a role. Let’s not forget that Idiyatulin started the 2022 season with an incredible qualification for the maximum 100 points.
Battle of two representatives of Sochi
Despite Georgy Chivchyan and Damir Idyaitulin being tied on points, it’s too early for them to relax. In the battle for the championship, they are opposed by two Sochi players: Roman Tivodar (“Forward Auto”) is only 19 points behind the leading pair, and Arkady Tsaregradtsev (“FailCrew Darkseid”) is 23 points behind. delay.
Despite the difference in experience and the length of the RDS GP, Roman and Arkady now have a real opportunity to win their first title in the main national drift championship. Additionally, both Sochi drivers have already finished in the TOP 3 on home soil, while Tsaregradtsev has been on the podium twice in the past three years and won qualifying at Sochi Autodrom in 2020.
Losev chasing victory
Evgeniy Losev (SINTEC FRESH AUTO DRIFT) also has a mathematical chance of winning, who currently sits fifth in the individual standings. The legendary Siberian security guard loses to Georgy Chivchyan and Damir Idiyatulin by 197 points – this gap can not only be reduced, but completely won back. True, for this Losev needs to win both qualifying and pair races, while other rivals do not score points.
Such an alignment is unlikely, but Evgeny Losev is capable of both winning the qualification and making it to the final. The driver’s record already includes a victory in Sochi. Now the athlete has a chance to win “gold” at the VTB Cup – the 7th stage of the GP RDS.
Charles NG is one of Sochi’s favorites
Although the main attention of fans is riveted on the top five of the season, it is not worth throwing the rest of the athletes with a score. One of the favorites for the coming weekend can rightly be called Charles Ng.
The STAR РЁR STARS AIMOL driver will once again take the wheel of the Russian hypercar Flanker F. With each stage, the athlete from Hong Kong behaves better and better in this unique car, and the Sochi track can release all the potential of the “driver + car” combination.
Remember that Charles NG is one of the winners of the RDS Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom, and the athlete has the best memories associated with this track. In 2019 the rider took his first and so far only victory in the RDS GP here.
Surprises are possible at Sochi Autodrom
VTB Cup – Stage 7 RDS GP is quite capable of surprises. And the fact is not only that concrete bumpers near the track can affect the balance of forces already at the training stage, but at the final stage of the season drivers can afford to take more risks.
One of the intrigues of the coming weekend will be the performance of young Krasnoyarsk resident Leonid Schneider. Newcomer Forward Auto, who is completing his first full season in the RDS GP, has gained experience not only on the RDS Grand Prix stages, but also in the RDS Europe Junior Series. The knowledge acquired by a young athlete can be converted into a good result.
The award-winning place won by Andrey Astapov on stage six of Moscow Raceway gave the driver and his LUKOIL Racing Drift teammates Grigory Gusev and Magomed Omarov a second wind. This could mean another podium finish for the legendary Sochi team.
We can expect good results from representatives of BY Motorsport, who have already been on the podium this season. And the performances of Fyodor Vorobyov in the iconic VAZ-2015, Nikita Shikov (Carville Racing) in the Toyota GR Supra and Stepan Azarov in the Nissan 370Z will surely be the highlight of the weekend.
RDS GP-2022 Referee Team
The decisive stage of the RDS GP-2022 will be evaluated by a familiar trio from previous weekends of the season. On the judges’ tower will work: Dmitry Dobrovolsky (head of the Russian Drift series), Maxim Akhtyamov (head of the MRE drift school, RDS-Ural vice-champion, ULD champion and winner of the Classic 1000 circuit race in the standings general) and Anton Novikov (2021 RDS West runner-up, 2020 RDS West winner).
VTB Cup schedule — 7 stages of the GP RDS at Sochi Autodrom:
October 15, Saturday
October 16, Sunday
You can watch the events of the VTB Cup – the 7th stage of the RDS GP from the stands of Sochi Autodrom, as well as live on the RDS TV platform – the whole weekend of the Russian Drift Series Grand Prix in Sochi will be shown live. The qualifying races are accessible without registration, the couple races are accessible by subscription.
About the Sochi Autodrom Track
Sochi Autodrom became the venue for the first Formula 1 Grand Prix in Russian history. The track, laid on the Imeretinskaya plain on the territory of the Olympic Park, was opened in 2014 and until 2021 it invariably hosted the national stage of the world championship. Its particularity was the unique long third corner and the unique landscapes around the track.
Since its opening, stages of international tournaments have taken place there: from Formula 1 to the FIA WTCR World Cup, from the FIA Formula 3 and FIA Formula 2 youth monoseries to the TCR International Series touring car championship and at the branded Ferrari Challenge Europe monocup, as well as stages of the Russian RDS, RCRS and Formula 4 championships. The Sochi Autodrom traditionally hosts the final round of the Russian Drift Series Grand Prix.
RDS GP statistics at Sochi Autodrom
2019
2020
2021
Source : MatchTV
