In 2023, a new challenge will unfold in Russian motorsport that promises to thrill drivers and engage spectators across the country. The season marks the launch of the Russian Endurance Cup, a four-stage series built to showcase endurance racing at a national level.
The initiative is led by Boris Rotenberg, founder of the SMP Racing motorsport development program.
The plan is for the SMP Racing organization to serve as the promoter of the new series under a formal agreement with the Russian Automobile Federation, headed by VN Kiryanov, the former traffic police chief. Technically, the series does not emerge without precedent; since 2017, Grozny has hosted the Akhmat Race, an annual endurance marathon that has gathered teams from home and abroad.
Each autumn, the race brings together dozens of teams, including many prominent names from both national and international motorsport circles. Rotenberg announced that SMP Racing, in partnership with the Russian Automobile Federation and with the active involvement of the Chechen Motorsport Federation, will introduce a four-stage endurance racing cup in 2023. The event is named the SMP Endurance Cup and aims to elevate endurance racing within the national calendar.
The competition is organized by the Motor Sports Federation of the Chechen Republic with the support of the regional leadership. For years, the federation has planned to expand the Akhmat Race into a multi-stage series, and next year that plan will come to fruition. Akhmat Race will serve as the final leg of a broader marathon sequence, following long-distance events in Sochi, the Leningrad region, and the Moscow region.
From 2023 onward, the Akhmat Race will be integrated into a multi-stage competition that crosses regional borders. The initiative is being pursued with the backing of SMP Racing and the Russian Automobile Federation, with the aim of delivering top-tier organization and competition.
Endurance racing, also known as marathons or endurance events, features hours-long contests with pit stops for refueling and tire changes. A typical format also includes driver swaps during pit breaks. The most renowned marathons in the sport include the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, the 12 Hours of Sebring, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Notably, the SMP Endurance Cup will debut new BR03 sports prototypes, created entirely by the Russian design and manufacturing company BR Engineering. In the current season these cars have appeared in another Russian endurance series, REC. The broadcast of the racing action can be accessed on RuTube, giving fans a direct view of the competition.
- These cars already highlighted the versatility and speed of the BR03 program within the Russian endurance calendar.
- The series and its teams emphasize a modern, competitive approach to endurance racing in Russia.
References: SMP Racing press materials and federation announcements. [Attribution: SMP Racing, Russian Automobile Federation, Chechen Motorsport Federation].