Racing triumphs in the colors of the Russian tricolor

Auto racing is a fast-paced sport in which hundreds of seconds are decided.

Moscow Raceway has once again confirmed its status as the central stage of Russian motorsport. In the season-2026, this track near Volokolamsk took as many as four stages of the RSKG, setting a new series record. From its debut 12-hour endurance race in May to the final leg of the season in October, the Moscow Raceway traversed the storyline of the 2026 season.

And it's not just the speed of moving racing cars in space. In Russia, the warm season does not last so long, so the season as a whole passes rapidly. It would seem that recently in the suburbs was the first race of 2026 – and last weekend on the same track Moscow Raceway was held the grand final of the season.

It took place in the presence of a large number of spectators. After all, the next time to see the ring races on the Russian tracks will be possible only in six months. In addition, the weather was good for leaving the city, and the stages of the Russian series of ring races (the largest and most prestigious racing tournament in the country) is much more than watching races from the stands. In addition, everyone could enter the garages of racing teams, which made this final more contact, open and interesting for ordinary spectators. In the paddock of the race track, you can easily spend a whole day – and those areas are open for spectators, where an ordinary fan can never get to Formula 1 races. For example, you can walk among the cars on the starting grid a few minutes before the start of the race. Or come with a tour to the boxes and see how mechanics work on the cars. And even race along the track in a supercar as a passenger with a professional pilot at the wheel.

However, the main events still take place on the racetrack. Where the finish line of the last race of the season was crossed by a car driven by Vitaly Petrov, the first Russian Formula 1 driver. It was a car developed and assembled in Russia. The BR03 car demonstrates its potential in endurance racing. Where it competes on equal terms with racing supercars of legendary foreign brands - Mercedes, Porsche and even Lamborghini.

However, “on an equal footing” was a year ago, when in half of the races victories were won at BR03, and in half – at Mercedes. In the same season, domestic equipment is unmatched. Petrov’s crew (which also includes Sergei Sirotkin, another Russian Formula 1 driver) won all four marathon races. The best that rivals on foreign cars were capable of is second place in a couple of races. Excellent advertising for the car, which is already produced in small series at a small but modern plant in Moscow. Moreover, next year for the first time will be held the so-called mono Cup – competitions where all participants will perform at BR03. And where the fate of victories in the race will be decided solely by skill – not the difference in the characteristics of the cars.

By the way, Vitaly Petrov now not only performs in Russian races, but also works on their progress as a manager. He heads the Russian motorsport program SMP Racing, which is engaged in organizing competitions, supporting talented drivers, and creating domestic racing cars (including the BR03 mentioned above). It is easy to guess that such a difficult job takes a lot of energy and time. But Vitaly, still the most famous rider of our country, after the end of his international career could not strain, limited to filming in advertising and visits to glamorous events. In fact, our first Formula 1 pilot, having won the race with the participation of eminent European brands, having come from ship to ball, and having danced a heavy dance to the endurance race behind the wheel of a completely Russian car, proved that Russian cars not only can compete, but already win against top foreign auto giants.

Along with marathon races in Russia, the so-called sprint races are held, where each rider conducts two races only half an hour in one weekend. Machines that can be identified by graphic design in the colors of the Russian tricolor. And last weekend, one of those drivers was the author of perhaps the most emotional success of this season.

25-year-old Alexander Smolyar in the past also successfully performed in foreign competitions – in particular, in junior Formula tournaments was not inferior in speed to Australian Oscar Piastri, who last year became a bronze medalist in Formula 1. In 2023, Alexander returned to the Russian race, where he began to compete in the most prestigious class called SMP TCR Russia. At the start of this series are modified hatchbacks and sedans – such as LADA Vesta with 350-horsepower engines, Hyundai Elantra N or Audi RS3. But this is the only class in Russia where all participants are professionals who receive a salary for their performances (in all other categories, the majority are amateurs who buy or rent cars themselves and pay teams for their maintenance).

Smolar immediately showed himself as almost the fastest racer of the class – and it seemed that he would quickly record a couple of titles. However, year after year, the championship eluded Alexander. And each time the source of the problems was not the mistakes of the pilot or his team, but some external factors. The unsuccessful maneuver of the opponent deprived valuable points, the new car did not have time to come to the beginning of the season – and the competitors got the advantage. For three years Smolyar twice became a bronze medalist of the championship of Russia and once - silver.

This year was not easy for the athlete. Several mistakes made Alexander catch up – and suddenly the leader was Maxim Soldatov, who spent the first full season in the most prestigious class. Moreover, the Soldiers did not turn out to be a caliph for an hour: during the season, he repeatedly held beautiful races - and came to the final, occupying the first line of the standings. But in the final of the Russian championship, fate seems to have compensated Smolyar all the bad luck of previous years. Several episodes on the track played into Alexander’s hands – and the rider was fast and focused enough to take advantage of the opportunities presented. As a result, Smolyar won both races of the decisive weekend in the suburbs and finally became the champion of Russia, against all odds. A day later, during the 6-hour marathon, he performed in the same crew with Petrov - and together with Vitaly became the best in a single race and at the end of the season as a whole. Two championship titles in two days – that’s exactly what ended the season on a high note!

The racing season of 2026 was bright, and the final race was the most striking racing event of the season. This year, ten race weekends in the series have been held, next year they are planned for thirteen. The best riders and racing teams of the country will visit five Russian regions: Moscow, Leningrad and Nizhny Novgorod regions, Tatarstan and Chechnya. In the next racing season, representatives of more than forty republics, territories and regions are preparing to go on the tracks. So, to follow the Russian series of ring races is rightly preparing to become an event of all-Russian scale.