Russia’s attack on Ukraine is also provoking reactions in the world of fast bikes and high-octane gasoline. The invasion did not leave, for example, the German 34-year-old Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel. He announced that he would not take part in this year’s Formula 1 series, which will take place in Sochi, Russia. “I feel sorry for innocent people who are being killed for stupid reasons,” the four-time F1 world champion told a news conference. He was also supported by the reigning F1 World Champion Max Verstappen.
But Formula 1 racing pilots no longer have to worry about deciding whether or not to go to the Russian Grand Prix. The F1 management has announced that it is canceling the race. “We are following developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock and we hope for a speedy and peaceful solution to the situation,” the austere press release said.
Sebastian Vettel at the press conference:
In the morning, the management of the F1 championship hesitated and issued only a report according to which it “closely monitors the volatile development” of the war in Ukraine. The new circuit is not officially selected, according to the Carscoops website, the September Sochi race could be replaced in the calendar by the renewed Turkish Grand Prix at the Istanbul circuit, which has already “jumped” for other races in 2020 and 2021 due to the covid pandemic.
The American F1 team Haas also commented on the situation by repainting its monopost. He refuses to ride in the colors of his main sponsor, the fertilizer manufacturer Uralkali from Russia, despite the fact that the son of the co-owner of Uralkali, Nikita Mazepin, is a pilot of this stable. The problem is mainly that the Russian tricolor also belongs to the logos on the formula.
Haas stable formulas after removing the Russian sponsor’s logo:
This symbolic gesture is also important because Russian President Vladimir Putin often participated in Formula 1 races in Russia. In addition, there are growing rumors on social networks that the cancellation of all sporting events in Russia and a possible ban on the participation of athletes there could symbolize the unification of the civilized world.
