Russian Grand Prix not to be replaced in F1 calendar

Formula 1 said on Wednesday that it will not replace this year’s Russian Grand Prix with another race.

The action follows Russia’s decision to cancel their race in Sochi indefinitely in the aftermath of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

F1 considered going back to Qatar and holding the second race in Singapore.

However, after months of deliberation, the sport’s executives decided that neither event was feasible and that it would be better to just leave a gap in the calendar.

Many team members will be relieved by the decision, as adding another race to an already demanding calendar this season would have added to their workload.

When all variables were considered, F1 decided that neither of the alternative options – Qatar or the second race in Singapore – made sense.

It did not want to increase the costs of teams if the reward was not worth it.

However, the measure should not be interpreted as a concession to the desire to host seasons with record-breaking race numbers.

As F1 strives to broaden its reach in the wake of growing audiences and increased global appeal, a 23-race calendar, as planned this season, or even longer, is unavoidable.

Qatar, which hosted its first race in 2021 and has a 10-year deal starting in 2023, was F1’s first choice to replace the Russian event on September 25.

However, there were a number of concerns about the event being held at that time: it would be too hot; it would be closer to the start of the football World Cup than Qatar would like; and the organizers believed it would be difficult to be ready in time, as they had not expected to be holding an event of such magnitude at the Losail circuit this year.

Another alternative was to hold an extra race in Singapore one week before the event’s return to the calendar following two seasons of cancellation due to the coronavirus outbreak.

The plan was to organize a race a week before Singapore’s official night street race, which is held somewhat earlier in the day.

However, closing down the city for two weeks proved difficult, so both parties agreed to drop the plan.