Shota Abkhazava
Shota Abkhazava | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 12, 1971 |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, race car designer, professional driver |
| Years active | 1993–present |
| Known for | Founder of ArtLine Engineering; proprietor of ADM Raceway and Rustavi International Motorpark; competitor in Russian Circuit Racing Series and Lamborghini Super Trofeo |
Shota Abkhazava (, born 12 August 1971) is a Georgian-Russian-Kazakh entrepreneur, race car designer, professional driver, and proprietor of racing circuits located in Russia, Georgia, and Latvia.
Racing
Abkhazava completed his studies in 1993 at Moscow State Automobile and Road Technical University (MADI), earning a degree as a race car engineer. During his academic tenure, he was involved in the development of the "Astrada" and "Gardarika" single-seater projects and contributed to the activities at MADI’s Sports Car Laboratory. In 1998, he established his inaugural race car design firm and team named "Pilot F3 Engineering." By 1999, this team was competing prominently in the Russian Formula Three Championship with Italian driver Fabio Babini behind the wheel of a Dallara F399. The following year, the team was rebranded as "ArtLine Engineering," and in 2001 Maurizio Mediani secured the team’s initial championship victory.
In 2003, Abkhazava shifted the focus of his team from Formula 3 to the national Formula 1600 series. By 2004, ArtLine had developed its proprietary chassis known as ArtTech. That same year, Abkhazava was appointed coordinator of Formula 1600 within the Circuit Racing Committee of the Russian Automobile Federation. The ArtTech chassis made its first public appearance at the Sport Motor Tuning Exhibition held in Moscow in November 2004.
In 2005, Abkhazava organized one of Russia’s pioneering sports marketing seminars titled "Sportsmarketing 2005." Under his leadership, Formula 1600 received recognition as "class of the year" by prominent motorsport media outlet iloveracing.ru. He also initiated the ADM Raceway project at Miachkovo airfield near Moscow, which officially opened in July 2006. After Neva-Ring in St. Petersburg ceased operations, ADM Raceway became the sole permanent racing circuit in western Russia, ensuring continuity for national circuit racing events.
In 2006, Abkhazava openly criticized the Russian Automobile Federation for what he described as undemocratic governance. The subsequent year saw his team clinch the Russian Championship along with multiple victories in Finland’s Formula 3 Championship rounds. Additionally, he frequently appeared as a guest analyst on RenTV’s Formula One broadcasts.
September 2008 marked the inauguration of the North Europe Formula 3 Cup (NEZ Cup) at ADM Raceway—an unprecedented event within Russia. Later that year, he introduced Legend Cars racing to the Russian motorsport scene by importing vehicles manufactured in Harrisburg, North Carolina. Abkhazava actively competed internationally in Legend Cars races, achieving a runner-up position in the Semi-Pro category at the Las Vegas Grand Finals.
In 2009, his team participated in Germany’s ATS Formula-3 Cup utilizing their ArtTech chassis and secured the Trophy title. Expanding his ventures into Georgia through business initiatives and event management, Abkhazava also earned championships in both Russian and Georgian Legends series.
Following a successful campaign in 2010, he elevated his Formula-3 team to compete in Germany’s premier League A division during 2011. In October of that year, he claimed victory at the final round of the EU Legends Championship held at Spa.
In December 2011, Abkhazava personally invested $25 million to renovate Rustavi race track located in Georgia. The upgraded venue reopened as Rustavi International Motorpark in April 2012. Serving as president of the Georgian AutoSport Association (GASA), he launched two new racing categories—Legends and Formula Alfa—establishing Georgia as a prominent motorsport center among Post-Soviet nations.
Racing career
By May 2024, Abkhazava had participated in 162 competitions, achieving victory in 45 of them. In 2008, he earned a runner-up position in the Legends World Finals as a semi-professional and secured third place in the Pro category in 2011. Since 2008, he has claimed the Russian Legend Cup championship on three occasions. During the 2012 Georgian Championship, he dominated with six race wins, seven pole positions, and three fastest laps.
Abkhazava entered the Lamborghini Blancpain Super Trofeo series in 2014, known as the "world's fastest brand trophy," representing Automobili Lamborghini Racing Team Luxemburg. His debut at Monza saw him finish second within the AM category and 11th overall. The following year, in 2015, he captured the AM championship driving for his own outfit, Artline Georgia.
Currently, he competes in the 2025 Russian Circuit Racing Series under ArtLine, piloting a Legends car in the Sports Prototype CN division.