Born out of attempts to host Formula 1 in Russia, construction of the Moscow Raceway began in 2008, with an initial agreement then signed with F1 to host the Russian Grand Prix.

However, when the Hermann Tilke-designed track was dropped from the 2010 F1 calendar, construction paused in 2009, before work on the Russian-German joint venture resumed in 2010.

The FIA Grade 1 circuit opened in 2012, and although it missed out on F1, it quickly secured deals to host both the World Touring Car Championship and DTM for 2013.

The 3.93 kilometre circuit regularly hosted WTCC and DTM races for the next four years, but by 2018 both had departed the calendar, leaving the headline event as the Russian Touring Car Championship.