Will Formula 1 no longer snore?
All the news on Formula 1 with the Russia-Ukraine war
No allusion in the title to circuits and regulations that have gradually reduced overtaking, making the races less and less exciting. Formula 1, like many other sports, was overwhelmed by the geopolitical events of the war that Russia brought to Ukraine. This weekend the Bahrain Grand Prix is held, but in the meantime in the paddock, more than timing and settings, we talk about the conflict that has razed Kiev to the ground and this is because the consequences have also been felt for the teams.
FORMULA 1 DOES NOT RUN (AND WILL NOT RACE) IN RUSSIA
The toughest decision concerns the farewell to the Russian GP. Liberty Media (the company that owns the circus), was the first, in the sports field, to intervene by canceling the competition from the 2022 World Cup calendar. Black, next September. In addition, the organization made confetti of the contract with the promoter of the Russian Grand Prix.
The parties had already agreed to move the caravanserai to St. Petersburg in 2023. This means not only that Formula 1 will not race in Russia this year, but it has already decided that it will not race in the country next season either. Rosgonki , organizing committee of the Russian Grand Prix, through the head of the committee Alexey Titov , has already announced that he wants to fight in all the venues to “get our money back, since the sum has already been partially disbursed. F1 will have to give it back, whether they like it or not ”.
THE DISMISSAL OF THE SON OF THE OLIGARCA
The other most disruptive decision on the matter comes from an American team: the sacking of the Russian driver Nikita Mazepin by the very small Haas team, based in Banbury, United Kingdom. An extremely courageous and perhaps even self-defeating decision, as not only the International Automobile Federation (FIA) had simply ordered that Russian or Belarusian drivers participate in the races under a neutral flag, but also and above all because Nikita Mazepin had been chosen, more for his ability at the wheel, for being the son of Dmitry Mazepin , the Russian millionaire at the head of the Uralkali fertilizer company, the now former sponsor who with his lavish funding had allowed the team to take part in the last World Championship. In short, oligarch dad, close friend of Vladimir Putin , paid handsomely to entertain his son on a single-seater (with the colors of the Russian flag due to the Uralkali brand) capable of exceeding 300 per hour.
However, at least in words, the Russian pilot took the door showing great dignity: “It is one of the most painful moments of my life, this war affects people on both sides with whom I have ties. If I sue Haas? Each option is on the table and we will evaluate it. But there is no point in dealing with someone who doesn't want you ”. So Mazepin Jr. he said he wants to create a foundation under the slogan “We Compete As One”, to support athletes who are discriminated against for political reasons or for their passport. On the other hand, Marezpin senior has already announced that he wants his money back for the sponsorship and is considering taking legal action.
Gene Haas , owner of the team, has thus replaced the paying driver with the Danish Kevin Magnussen and announced (perhaps made an appeal) that he is looking for partners to finance the small team, since the vacuum left by Mazepin 's father's fertilizers will not be not easy to fill. Moreover, the small team is not facing the next GP in the best way: it was unable to take part in the morning of the first day of practice due to delays in the transport of equipment.
FERRARI REMOVES THE KASPERSKY LOGO
Kasperksy Lab, a Russian multinational based in Moscow that deals with cybersecurity, worries not only the governments of the Old Continent that for years have been using that software to shield themselves from cyber attacks (read: What are Gabrielli and Baldoni really up to on Kaspersky?) , But also had a relapse in Formula 1, given that Ferrari decided to remove the logo of the Moscow sponsor from the cars, helmets and online platforms "as the partnership is suspended at the moment by joint decision of the two companies", explained the spokesman. Kaspersky is also one of Ferrari's antivirus software vendors ( see further news ). For this reason, the Maranello-based company is evaluating the opportunity to also sever supply ties with the Russian company specializing in IT security.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/smartcity/la-formula-1-non-russera-piu/ on Fri, 18 Mar 2022 15:02:34 +0000.