Picture Credit: Formula 1
Amid Russia persisting with its invasion of Ukraine, sports federations worldwide have put a ban on Russian athletes and teams until further notice. Car racing sports body Formula 1 also joined these federations as it terminated its Russian Grand Prix contract. According to the latest update available, the Formula 1 governing body has decided that Russia will not have a race in the future.
In a meeting held by FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile) President Mohammad Ben Sulayem on March 1, it was decided that Russian and Belarusian drives will be allowed to take part in an F1 event only under the 'FIA flag' not the national flag. In the same meeting, it was decided that the 2022 Russian Grand Prix will stay canceled for a reason of Force Majeure (unforeseeable circumstances that prevent someone from fulfilling a contract).
Now, the latest development says that there will be no Russian Grand Prix in the international GP calendar from this year on. Notably, the 2022 Russian GP was scheduled to take place in September at the Olympic Park in Sochi.
The other key decisions that were take in the FIA meeting include:
Competitions organized on the territory of Russia and Belarus
- No international/zone competition to take place in Russia and Belarus, until further notice
- No flag/symbol or anthem of Russia/Belarus to be used in international/zone competitions, until further notice
Drivers, competitors and officials
- No Russian/Belarusian national teams to participate in international/zone competitions (e.g. FIA Motorsport Games), until further notice
- Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the “FIA flag”, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality, until further notice
- No Russian/Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (uniform, equipment and car)- should be displayed or anthems should be played at international/zone competitions, until further notice
FIA Elected officers/Commissions’ members
Representatives from Russian/Belarusian FIA Members to step aside temporarily from their roles and responsibilities of elected officers/commissions’ members *
FIA grants
- No FIA grant to be awarded to the Russian/Belarusian FIA Members, until further notice *
- No existing FIA grant funding will be paid to the Russian/Belarusian FIA Members *
* Subject to the approval of the World Council for Automobile Mobility and Tourism