I've finally found the solution. Victor was close with the doc data.
const racesCollection: AngularFirestoreCollection<Race>;
return racesCollection.snapshotChanges().map(actions => {
return actions.map(a => {
const data = a.payload.doc.data() as Race;
data.id = a.payload.doc.id;
return data;
});
});
ValueChanges() doesn't include metadata, therefor we must use SnapshotChanges() when we require the document id and then map it properly as stated here https://github.com/angular/angularfire2/blob/master/docs/firestore/collections.md