Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel said Thursday that he wouldn’t participate in the Russian Grand Prix later this year if the race is still on the 2022 Formula 1 calendar.
Vettel made his remarks at preseason testing in Spain in the hours after Russia invaded Ukraine. Vettel has been outspoken on numerous issues over the last few seasons and made it clear that a Russian Grand Prix would go on without him if it’s still held on Sep. 25. F1 has said that it’s monitoring the situation instigated by Russia “very closely.”
“I think it’s horrible to see what is happening. Obviously if you look at the calendar, we have a race scheduled in Russia.
“For myself, my own opinion is I should not go, I will not go. I think it’s wrong to race in that country. I’m sorry for the people, innocent people who are losing their lives, getting killed for stupid reasons under a very strange and mad leadership.
“I’m sure it’s something we will talk about, but as I said as [grand prix drivers’ association], we haven’t come together yet.”
Vettel’s voice carries influence within the drivers’ association. Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen also said that Formula 1 shouldn’t race in a country that’s at war.
Formula 1 has raced in Sochi since 2014 at a track that was built around the structures constructed for the 2014 Winter Olympics. The race is set to move away from Sochi in the coming years and head to St. Petersburg.
If F1 moves the Russian Grand Prix out of the country it won’t only major sporting event that isn’t held in Russia as scheduled as a result of the Ukraine invasion. UEFA is set to hold an emergency meeting regarding the status of the Champions League final set for St. Petersburg later this year and will reportedly move it out of the country to a different site in Europe.
