FORMULA ONE’S GOVERNING body will stage an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss the crisis in Ukraine.
It is understood that the future of F1’s sole Russian driver Nikita Mazepin is set to top the agenda.
The president of the the Automobile Federation of Ukraine, Leonid Kostyuchenk, has demanded the FIA bans all Russian and Belarusian drivers from competing outside of their own countries.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who will chair Tuesday’s summit, wrote to Kostyuchenk last week to offer his full support.
On Monday, UEFA and FIFA took the joint decision to suspend Russia from all club and national fixtures.
An FIA spokesperson told the PA News agency: “An extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council will be convened tomorrow to discuss matters relating to the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.
“Further updates will be given following the meeting.”
F1 has already cancelled the Russian Grand Prix, which had been scheduled to take place in Sochi on September 25, while Haas removed the branding of its title partner Uralkali for the final day of the pre-season test in Barcelona last week. The Russian fertiliser company is part-owned by oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, whose son Nikita races for the team.
Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said he could make no guarantees on the Russian driver’s future and said the issue of its Uralkali sponsorship is likely to be resolved in the coming days.
Would be a huge loss, one of the greatest ever formula 1 drivers without a doubt
@James O’ Connor: Uyko Katayama would have something to say about that.
@James O’ Connor: He’s no different to any other banned athletes, teams, ballet companies etc etc … Sauce for the goose and sauce for the gander… He has to go. The more pressure that’s put on Russia the better.
@James O’ Connor: he’s not a terrible driver (at least he wasn’t in F2), just had a poor run of form.
However, that being said, he should’ve been kicked out of F1 long before this and before he raced at all after assaulting that girl in the pre season for last year.
@John Black: the past season just doesn’t count at all with the car they had. They could just show up and be part of the background.
Hope the FIA do the right thing and strip him of his racing license and send him packing, after all his is part of the Russian elite that supports Putin, plenty of far more talented drivers that can take his place.