Charlie Whiting has given Sochi Autodrom the green light, declaring it is "ready to host a Formula 1 race".

The FIA's Race Director and Safety Delegate has carried out a final assessment of the circuit ahead of November's inaugural Russian Grand Prix yesterday and declared himself happy with what he found.

"The circuit is in extremely good condition and, yes, it will be issued with a license," he said. "Everything has been done according to the plans, the kerbs are very good, the verges, the guardrails, the walls, everything is in an extremely good condition.

"Everything has been done to the highest standards and I'm extremely pleased," he continued. "I can say without hesitation that the circuit is ready 60 days in advance, which is very rare really."

Asked to comment on the condition of the Race Control building, he said: "Well, it's state of the art, it's very good, and I was very impressed when I walked in to the Race Control building. It really does look extremely impressive. Fundamentally, all Race Control buildings are the same, but in this particular case it's been done with very latest high-tech equipment. The images we see at race control are absolutely superb."

Asked whether he will visit the Autodrom again before the race, he replied: "I don't know at the moment, but it should not be necessary. What I've seen today gives me complete comfort that the circuit will be entirely ready when I come back for the Grand Prix."

In light of Whiting's positive endorsement, race promoter Sergey Vorobyev said: "We were ready for Mr. Whiting's visit and we want to congratulate our builders who have made this positive verdict happen. We were confident that FIA would appreciate the efforts made by our team to implement the technical details that have been so highly reviewed by Mr. Whiting today.

"Now that Sochi Autodrom has received a license, everything else is up to the organizers of the events and as such we are working intensely on ensuring that all aspects of the event are fully prepared. It is our aim to make this a truly unforgettable event with the comfort and enjoyment of our guests at the forefront of all our efforts."

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kiwi2wheels, 20/08/2014 18:08

"" Who was the f**kwit who designed the circuit ? Will the cars have to have an extra low first gear and increased extra steering lock for the two 90 degree corners in photo # 4.

Every corner should be a passing opportunity, imagine when two cars tangle in them ......................"

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2. Posted by Paul C, 20/08/2014 16:56

"After Sochi F1 will be enraptured by the South Korea race. Sochi had crappy hotels for the Olympics."

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3. Posted by balderson04, 20/08/2014 13:36

"I will NOT be watching one moment of the Sochi race and I strongly urge everyone else on this forum to do likewise.

The only thing that matters to Bernie is his TV money, so the way to hurt him is to hurt his TV ratings.

Nine Ukrainian soldiers killed this morning in the battle to re-take Luhansk from Russian-backed rebels; "dozens" of civilians killed on a rebel mortar attack on a refugee convoy on Monday.

Mr. Ecclestone: "If you are neutral in times of injustice, you take the side of the oppressor" Nelson Mandela"

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4. Posted by 70sfan, 20/08/2014 13:00

"Bernie wonders why F1 fans are getting bored. It could be some idiot keeps putting races in stupid places to puff up the ego of one country or anther just so a few other peoples pockets get a little fuller?

While Bernie is given credit for commercialising F1 the truth is he's made a mess of things. All sports have been commercialised over the last 30 years the all make lots of money for those in the sport not those who hold the "rights" (remember when friend Max sold those for a 100 years to friend Bernie at a very nice price).

What was an interesting sport now has all the signs of a fake. Double points what next a joker too play once a year. Maybe Bernie forgets there was something called "its a knockout".

Still why not have a F1 race at a seaside resort hundreds of miles away for any reasonable sized group of supporters. Why not Blackpool next Bernie. We all know you need the money now you've been "a bit of an idiot" for paying the courts lots of money to prove you did not bribe anyone but were just a victim of blackmail.

"

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5. Posted by nonickname, 20/08/2014 12:01

"I was going to rant but White Lightning has gone an excellent job. Just a thought though, does anyone in F1 see the news these days?Perhaps the F1 cars will just be held by the Russians to offset some of the embargo's put on them by the West. Mind you that would be good new for us who still watch motorsport"

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6. Posted by White Lightning, 20/08/2014 11:18

"Excellent news! Really looking forward to welcoming the hotbed of motorsport and technological advancement that is Russia into F1.

I bet Charlie can't wait to go and inspect the new Mosul circuit's preparations to host the Islamic Caliphate Grand Prix and he can make his trip more efficient by taking in Pyongyang's developments at the same time.

Getting sick to death of this bloody "sport.""

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Sochi given FIA 'all-clear'

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