Formula 1 will not travel to Russia this year and next. That decision was taken because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Formula 1 would ride one more Russian Grand Prix this year in Sochi, before traveling to Saint Petersburg next year. Both GPs are canceled, according to the Formula 1 BBC known. Formula 1 may even stay away from Russia ‘as long as Putin is in power’. The contract with the Russian promoter has been torn apart as a response to the invasion of Ukraine. The first (modern) Russian Grand Prix was held in 2014 at the Sochi Autodrom, where F1 has been a continuous guest every year since then.
It is not yet known what will happen in the weekend of September 23 to 25. Portugal (Portimão), Turkey (Istanbul Park) and Germany (Hockenheimring or Nürburgring) are said to be the main contenders to replace the Russian GP, ​​while Qatar has been named as an outsider. It is likely that a decision will be made about this soon.
Mazepin
Meanwhile, things are also rumbling around Russian driver Nikita Mazepin. According to the FIA, the Haas driver may continue to participate under a ‘neutral flag’, but it is still possible that he will not be there this year. Haas has (virtually) shown the Russian main sponsor Uralkali the door, and Mazepin’s place is closely connected with that. Brazilian Pietro Fittipaldi, the grandson of former world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, is reportedly already being readied behind the scenes to take Mazepin’s place. Fittipaldi is Haas’ reserve driver and already replaced the injured Romain Grosjean at the American racing stable at the end of 2020. Nothing has been officially announced about this yet.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl