F1 drivers, such as German Sebastian Vettel and Dutch and reigning champion Max Verstappen, expressed on Thursday (24) their desire not to compete in the Russian GP this season, scheduled for September 25. They are against holding the test after the Russian government decides to attack Ukraine.
In an official statement, the category, however, did not rule out the race, but said that it monitors the situation. “We have closely watched the development of events and at the moment there are no further comments on the race.”
Four-time world champion, Vettel said he was “shocked” by the Russian invasion and was emphatic in saying that he does not want to participate in the stage.
“It’s horrible to see what’s happening […] I speak for myself: I must not go and I will not. It’s wrong to run there. People are being killed for stupid reasons and a very strange and angry leadership,” the German said, referring to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“This is something we are yet to talk about, but the GPDA [Associação de Pilotos] not yet met. Personally, I am shocked and saddened by what is happening. We’ll see what happens going forward. I have already made my decision,” added the Aston Martin driver.
Defending champion Max Verstappen, who is not usually involved in political issues, agreed with Vettel’s stance.
“If a country is at war, it wouldn’t be right to run there,” said the Dutchman. “But it’s not just what I think. The whole paddock has to decide what to do next,” continued the Red Bull driver.
Two-time Spanish champion Fernando Alonso, from Alpine, was another who expressed discomfort with the GP on Russian soil.
“We have our opinion and it’s the same as everyone else’s, but we don’t have the power to decide. But we can certainly make our own decisions,” he said.
Already the boss of the team that belongs to the brand of Austrian energy drinks, Christian Horner, said that he does not see “climate” for F1 to go to Russia. “It’s a problem for the governing body and the commercial rights holder who are responsible, but how much can things change between now and September?” he asked.
The first commercial reflexes, by the way, are already beginning to appear in the category. The American team Haas announced this Thursday that, as of this Friday (25), its cars will no longer be sponsored by Urakali, a Russian conglomerate in the fertilizer business.
The sponsor’s withdrawal was announced in a brief statement, in which the team said that “it will not comment on commercial agreements”. Urakali’s chief executive is Russian billionaire Dmitry Mazepin, who is the father of Nikita Mazepin, a Haas pilot since 2021.
For the time being, it is still unclear whether the agreement has been definitively broken or whether it is a one-off action. On Haas’ social media, the conglomerate’s brand was also removed.
In response to the Russian attack on Ukraine, US President Joe Biden announced new sanctions against Russia. Among them is the blocking of the assets of Russian banks, which will no longer be able to do business with American companies.
Hours before Haas’ announcement, German team boss Gunther Steiner canceled his participation in the press conference organized by the FIA (Federation Internationale de Automobilismo) after the second day of pre-season in the city of Barcelona, Spain. It was at this event that the pilots demonstrated.
On the eve of the Putin-ordered invasion, however, Steiner said he was monitoring the whole situation and that “if anything happens, we will deal with it.”
In an interview with Crash website, Nikita Mazepin stated that “in my understanding, the race will happen and you will see me there” and added that he is a “supporter of sport without politics.”
While F1 has not taken a decision on whether to hold the race in September, UEFA has scheduled a meeting of its executive committee for this Friday (25th) to define what it will do with the Champions League final, which is scheduled for May 28. , in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for Uefa’s actions and said it was “unacceptable” for the championship to take place on Russian soil.
“It seems unacceptable to me that major football tournaments, like the Champions League final or any other, can be held in Russia after the invasion of a sovereign country,” said the Briton.
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