Formula 1 has not only cancelled the Grand Prix in Sochi in 2022, but has also cancelled the contract with Saint Petersburg, which would have run until 2025
After an initially rather hesitant statement immediately after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Formula 1 has now taken a clear position in its dealings with Russia and Belarus. In addition to the sanctions decided by the FIA on 1 March, the promoter of Formula One, controlled by the American media group Liberty Media, has now taken further steps.
The FIA had first cancelled the Russian Grand Prix planned for 25 September in Sochi due to force majeure. Now Formula One follows suit with its own statement, announcing that the contract with Russian promoter Rosgonki has been officially terminated and that there will be no Formula One events in Russia in the future.
The original plan was for the 2022 Russian Grand Prix to be held in Sochi for the last time and then move to St Petersburg from 2023. Reconstruction work has already begun at the Igora Drive Circuit. However, the contract with Formula 1 for 2023 to 2025 has now been terminated by Formula 1.
Previously, the FIA’s World Motorsport Council had decided in a special meeting on 1 March to ban Russian and Belarusian national teams from international motorsport, but to continue to allow Russian and Belarusian racing drivers, provided they agree to compete under a neutral FIA flag.
Independently of this, several national motorsport federations have since decided not to accept Russian and Belarusian drivers even under a neutral flag. One of these federations is Motorsport UK, which means that Haas driver Nikita Masepin will not be allowed to compete at Silverstone.
However, that is probably a hypothetical scenario anyway. Haas already had the logos of Uralkali, the chemical company closely linked to the Putin regime and owned by Masepin’s father Dmitri, removed at the Barcelona test. And without sponsorship, probably no cockpit for the young Russian. He will possibly be succeeded by Pietro Fittipaldi.