February 25, (THEWILL) – Formula One released a statement on Friday that effectively cancelled the race in Russia for this calendar year.
Under the “current circumstances”, the Russian Grand Prix, which was scheduled for September 25, will not be held, according to the F1 statement.
THEWILL recalls that Russia began a military strike against Ukraine on Thursday, prompting this announcement.
Sebastian Vettel, a four-time Formula One champion, said on Thursday that Russia’s invasion of its western neighbour has left him “shocked” and that he will skip the Russian Grand Prix if it takes place.
“I should not go, I will not go. It is wrong to race in the country,” Vettel said. “I am sorry for the innocent people who are being killed for stupid reasons.”
“When a country is at war, it is not right to race there”, said reigning world champion Max Verstappen.
Before reaching a decision about September’s race, the sport’s governing body indicated on Thursday that it was “closely watching the very fluid developments” in Ukraine.
As part of developments following the Ukrainian invasion, President Joe Biden of the United States declared penalties on Russia, but stated that no American troops will be sent to fight in the country.
The Russian Grand Prix, which began with a two-year run in 1913 and ended in 2014, was revived a century later. The race was set to take place for the final time at the Sochi Autodrom this year, before returning to its roots in Saint Petersburg in 2023.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
