BAJA RUSSIA NORTHERN FOREST: THE RECCE HAS FINISHED
There is not so much time left before the RUSSIA – Northern Forest Baja start – the first round of the FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas and the Russian Cross Country Championship. In 2021 the organizers have prepared a very interesting route with a help of nature: the weather for the winter race is the best this time. The Igora Drive track has been already waiting for the Baja participants, and the racers are busy with the final preparations for the upcoming start.
The Baja route is laid along the roads and off-road of the Priozersky and Vyborgsky districts of the Leningrad region. For three competition days, the participants will have to overcome 717 kilometers in total, 480 of which will be the distance of the special stages.
The competition main partner is Igora Drive – the most modern sports and entertainment complex in Russia, on the territory of which the Headquarters, the Service Park and the Press Center of the race will be located. Igora Drive Centre is a unique project incorporating motorsports and leisure. Only 54 km away from Saint Petersburg, on an area of about 100 hectares, there are 10 motorsport tracks, built using the most advanced world-class technologies. The touring track has FIA Grade 1 license. Igora Drive Motorsport Centre is actively involved in promoting motor culture and road safety in Russia, as well as in nurturing homegrown motorsport talents.
The official start of the RUSSIA – Northern Forest Baja will take place on 5 February, 2021 – at 9 am Moscow time. The crews will go to the first leg from the Igora Drive sports and entertainment complex territory. The competitors will not have time to drag their feet – on the first day they will have to drive the “Novaya derevnya” special stage with a length of 94 kilometers twice – 188 kilometers of competitive distance! The total length of the first day route with a liaison will be 287 kilometers.
The second racing day will consist of six special stages with a total length of 104 kilometers. Together with the liaisons, the distance of the day will be 144 kilometers. At the same time, Saturday special stages will be a pleasant novelty – there is a fast and dynamic track with very interesting configuration; both drivers and spectators will definitely enjoy it. The first special stage start on Saturday will take place on the autodrome territory. Here the participants will be able to appreciate the whole variety of roads; and the spectator stand commands a good view that simultaneously covers several sections and turns laid on the Igora Drive sports and entertainment complex territory.
This special stage will become a morning warm-up before a large leg, where the track will remind the Karelian stages! There are altitude differences, curious road curves, snowy forest and fast track. However, there will be rather narrow sections on the route, but the participants will like to move as if in a snow tunnel made of fluffy trees. The amount of snow is perfect now! There is not too much of it to get stuck, but quite enough to enjoy a snowy ride!
Finally, on the Baja third day, the competitors will take the Friday route again, but in the opposite direction! Despite the same mileage as on the first day of the race, it will still be challenging for the participants – the only snow and ice baja in the world has never been easy.
The reconnaissance has finished this week and the organizers are preparing the main document for every participant – the Road Book. Unlike regular gravel races or races that take place in the sands, the most northern baja in the world requires preparation that takes much more than one day. It is not enough just to sit down and select a route on the map, and then drive it and write it down.
The track must be prepared: it is necessary to order special equipment and clean the selected route from the snow, to remove excessive trees or branches, to check the bridges, if any, on the route. This procedure needs to be repeated several times. It all depends on the weather, and if it snows for several days, this is a challenge for the team! This season, every team has been challenged, and not only once – the 2021 Northern Forest Baja will be held in accordance with the COVID-19 Mitigation Plan FIA INTERNATIONAL SPORTING CODE – APPENDIX S (COVID 19 – CODE OF CONDUCT) in compliance with the rules and social distance.
Baja “RUSSIA – Northern Forest” in numbers:
2021 – Despite the difficult situation around the world, the RUSSIA – Northern Forest Baja organizers have decided to hold the race this year.
717 – The total distance of the race in kilometers – liaisons and special stages.
480 – Distance of the race special stages in kilometers. This much each participant will drive at the maximum possible speed – of course, depending on road conditions.
100 – Exactly one hundred hectares is occupied by the territory of the Igora Drive sports and entertainment complex that will host the upcoming baja participants from 4 to 7 February.
54 – A little more than fifty kilometers you need to drive from St. Petersburg to get to the Igora Drive sports and entertainment complex.
17 – In 2021 RUSSIA – Northern Forest Baja will be held for the seventeenth time.
12 – The FIA priority list drivers in T1 category may only use a dozen wheels in this competition.
10 – The race schedule includes ten special stages: two on the first day, six on the second and two on the final day of the race.
4 – This is the number of scoring categories.
3 – The number of racing days.
1.5 – Social distance in meters.
1 – RUSSIA – Northern Forest Baja will be the first round of the 2021 FIA World Cup for Cross Country Bajas.
Source Baja Russia