While the whole world is facing the drama of crisis in Ukraine, which is worsening with continuous and incessant Russian military attacks, the sports universe is implementing various maneuvers to condemn Russia – as well as Belarus – and exclude it from the highest international competitions without however affecting the right to participate in individual pilots, athletes or match officials. In this sense, Formula 1 has acted with the cancellation of the GP that should have been held in Sochi, however allowing the pilots entered in the world championship belonging to such nationalities, such as Nikita Mazepin, to be able to anyway participate in the championship as a ‘neutral’. In this way – with the exception of the only British GP which has already expressed its will to ban Russian drivers from taking part in the race – the Haas driver will be able to regularly compete in the races on the calendar under the FIA flag, which will go to replace that of Russia until further notice.
A decision, that of the International Federation itself, which finds the former patron of Formula 1 in agreement Bernie Ecclestone. The 91-year-old, who had also defended Vladimir Putin in recent days, has in fact believed correct choice of FIAarguing that pilots of Russian nationality bear no responsibility in the current conflict: “It absolutely was the right move – he explained to the news agency PA – if there is a Russian driver in F1, what does that have to do with Russia fighting a war? There is no relationship. Athletes have nothing to do with this conflict. They are not part of it and have never been part of it “.
However, Ecclestone did not express its favorable opinion on the cancellation of the Russian GP, initially scheduled for 25 September as the 17th stage of the world championship. Regarding this decision, the British specified his thoughts: “The Formula One Group decided it was the right thing to do – he added – but I don’t think it was the correct choice. There is no war in Russia. The FIA only confirmed the cancellation because the Formula One Group removed it, otherwise, if no one had talked about canceling the race, I am sure the FIA would not have done so. Putin is probably not at all happy with what is happening – he concluded – but since he has the whole world against him considering him a criminal I don’t think he will worry too much about an F1 race ″.
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