Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, has said the sport will not return to Russia. Getty Images
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, has said the sport will not return to Russia. Getty Images
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, has said the sport will not return to Russia. Getty Images
Stefano Domenicali, CEO of the Formula One Group, has said the sport will not return to Russia. Getty Images

Sport

F1

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali says 'no more racing in Russia'

This year's race in Sochi canceled after Russia invaded Ukraine

The National

August 24, 2022

  • English
  • Arabic

Formula One chief executive Stefano Domenicali said the sport has no plans to hold future races in Russia.

The Russian Grand Prix was scheduled to be held in Sochi this year before moving to Igora Drive in St Petersburg in 2023, but F1 canceled the race after Russia invaded Ukraine.

This is the first year since 2014 that a race has not been held at the Sochi Autodrom, with Mercedes having won every race to date.

Domenicali said the sport has no intention of returning to the country, saying there will be "no more racing in Russia".

"I've always believed that you should never say never," Domenicali told Sport Bild magazine, per GrandPrix.com. "But in this case, I can promise for sure — we will no longer negotiate with them."

Alexey Titov, the chief executive of Russian GP promoter ANO Rosgonki, said he expects F1 to refund payments made following the cancellation of this year's race.

"This debt exists, it is confirmed and our position on it is unchanged," Titov told Russian news agency Tass. "We expect a refund regardless of the current position of Formula One Management in relation to holding races in the Russian Federation.

"The current situation in world sports is extremely politicised. It is necessary to take Domenicali's words here with this in mind. What he said has a pronounced political connotation that has nothing to do with the real spirit of sports.

"The future of our relations today is really unclear. We will take Domenicali's position into account in our further work."

The next stop on the F1 calendar is the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres shake hands after their meeting in Lviv, Ukraine. AP
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres shake hands after their meeting in Lviv, Ukraine. AP
Russian missiles headed for Ukraine are launched from Russia's Belgorod region. AP
Russian missiles headed for Ukraine are launched from Russia's Belgorod region. AP
Street artists paint a mural on to a wall near a building in a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine. EPA
Street artists paint a mural on to a wall near a building in a residential area in Kyiv, Ukraine. EPA
Firefighters put out flames and search through the rubble of the Culture Palace, which was destroyed by a Russian missile, in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv. Getty
Firefighters put out flames and search through the rubble of the Culture Palace, which was destroyed by a Russian missile, in Ukraine's second-largest city of Kharkiv. Getty
Seamstresses sew soft toys at the Kopytsia toy factory in Nizhyn, Ukraine. The factory makes toys that have became patriotic symbols for Ukrainians during Russia's invasion. EPA
Seamstresses sew soft toys at the Kopytsia toy factory in Nizhyn, Ukraine. The factory makes toys that have became patriotic symbols for Ukrainians during Russia's invasion. EPA
The logo of a new cafe called 'Stars Coffee', which opened in Moscow after Starbucks pulled out of Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. Reuters
The logo of a new cafe called 'Stars Coffee', which opened in Moscow after Starbucks pulled out of Russia due to its invasion of Ukraine. Reuters
Rescue officials gather in front of the bodies of victims killed in a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv. AFP
Rescue officials gather in front of the bodies of victims killed in a Russian missile strike on Kharkiv. AFP
Women hug near the debris of a building that was destroyed after a rocket hit the Saltivka area in Kharkiv. EPA
Women hug near the debris of a building that was destroyed after a rocket hit the Saltivka area in Kharkiv. EPA
The letter 'Z', a symbol of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is projected on to a building in Moscow. AFP
The letter 'Z', a symbol of support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, is projected on to a building in Moscow. AFP
A woman recovers an item from the damaged home of her elderly neighbour after a Russian missile strike yesterday in Druzhkivka, in Ukraine's Donetsk enclave. AP
A woman recovers an item from the damaged home of her elderly neighbour after a Russian missile strike yesterday in Druzhkivka, in Ukraine's Donetsk enclave. AP
Bronze medalist Andriy Protsenko of Ukraine celebrates after the men's high jump final on day eight of the European Championships in Munich, Germany. Getty
Bronze medalist Andriy Protsenko of Ukraine celebrates after the men's high jump final on day eight of the European Championships in Munich, Germany. Getty
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