The Almaty street circuitAt 11.6 km, this circuit is much too long to be considered to be an F1 track, but the simple fact that it would be incredibly fast would make realistic lap times no issue. The circuit starts on the black dot marker on Ryskulov Avenue. The circuit start s with a flat-out left-right chicane, then heads into turns 3-7, a medium-to-quick succession of corners that make up a real challenge for the drivers leading into a straight at Suyunbay Avenue. Turn 8 is the first real passing opportunity, a 90° left hander that feeds onto another fairly long straight and another tight corner, offering a chance for revenge.
From turn nine onwards, the circuit enters a slow and technical section as the circuit winds throuh the residential section of Alma-Ata. Please don't mind the little piece of track that shoots out on the right of turn 19 (just before the 5km mark), that's just a mistake by me. After turn 19, the end of this section filled with 90° corners, the track enters Tatibekov Street and returns to its quick and straight self, with turns 20-23, a series of sweeping kinks, not slowing down any cars, but making the track once more fun to drive.
Turn 24 is the third main passing place, a 90° right-hander into Khaliullin Street. The next straight is broken by turn 25, a sharp kink that will need drivers to lift the throttle for just a split-second, lest they meet Mr. Wall on the exit. Turn 26 is yet another passing opportunity, but one that takes balls, as the drivers must brake to take the sweeping but narrow corner. They then enter a long curving straight leading to turns 27 and 28, a sharp double left-hander, somewhat like the last corner at Bahrain, which is the best overtaking spot on the circuit.
After that, the circuit returns to the 4 km-long flat-out section that serves as a pit straight, the start-finish line coming right in the middle of this section.
To summarize: 31 corners, 11.6 km, 5 overtaking spots and a very fun track to drive.
