Russia’s shocking invasion of Ukraine has unsurprisingly cast a shadow on the Russian Grand Prix. Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday ordered his troops to move into Ukrainian territory, with airstrikes hitting over a dozen cities. The knock-on effects include crashing stocks and Brent crude oil hitting $100 a barrel for the first time since 2014.
The Russian Grand Prix has often featured Putin, sometimes on the podium, with the Russian premier being closely linked to the race. Many are now calling for a change in the 2022 Formula One calendar, which schedules the Russian race at Sochi from September 23–25.
Drivers Speak Out
Formula One has released a statement stating that they are “closely watching the very fluid developments” in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Formula One’s most influential drivers have already spoken out, calling for the race to be canceled. Sebastien Vettel has vowed not to race in Russia, even if the GP was to go ahead. The four-time world champion said, “I should not go, I will not go. We should not race in the country. I am sorry for the innocent people who are being killed for stupid reasons.” The BBC reports Vettel was “shocked” by the events in Ukraine and said that Russia had “a very strange and mad leadership.”
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Reigning driver’s champion, Max Verstappen, echoed Vettel’s sentiments, saying that “When a country is at war, it is not right to race there.” Alpine’s Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, was confident that “F1 will do the best,” and emphasized that although the drivers are free to make their own decisions, whether a race goes ahead will ultimately be up to F1 management.
Russian-Backed Haas Pull Team Principle From Press Conference
Meanwhile, Haas F1 team boss Gunther Steiner is reported to have been pulled from a press conference today. The press conference was to be held amidst Formula One’s pre-season test at Barcelona. The American-owned team is backed by Russian sponsors Uralkali, a company that is owned by the father of Russian Haas driver Nikita Mazepin.
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Businessman Dmitry Mazepin is rumored to be a close associate of the Russian president. His son, Nikita, has been racing under a neutral flag after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) banned Russia from competing at world championship sporting events over state-sponsored doping in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
However, the Haas livery has often drawn comparisons to the Russian flag, with the color scheme looking strikingly similar, although the party line has always been that it sports the colors of Uralkali.
Istanbul On The Cards As A Replacement, Other Sports Disrupted
Turkey is rumored to be a possible replacement if the Russian GP is canceled. If the Istanbul Park Circuit were to make an appearance in 2022, it wouldn’t be the first time the venue has stood in. After a nine-year absence, Turkey hosted a race in the Pandemic-hit 2020 race calendar and stood in for the 2021 Singapore Grand Prix a year later.
Rumors that Istanbul was confirmed as a replacement was bolstered when a page that sold tickets for the Russian GP disappeared, while one promoting a Turkish GP had appeared. However, Formula One claimed that this was due to a development issue with the website.
Meanwhile, in soccer news, the May 28 Champions League final had been scheduled to be held in Saint Petersburg. But ESPN reports that Russia is looking like an unlikely venue for the final, with UEFA set to strip the country of hosting rights.
