Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues to have consequences. The FIA, after an emergency meeting this Tuesday with the World Motor Sport Council, has decided to temporarily suspend Russian teams from international championships. However, the drivers from Russia will be able to continue competing, which for example keeps things the same in Formula 1 , where Nikita Mazepin will be able to compete as he did until now if his team does not decide otherwise.
This Monday, the executive board of the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) recommended that there be no Russian or Belarusian athlete or senior official in international competitions and the FIA, a federation recognized by the IOC since 2012, has reacted.
In summary, the FIA has prohibited any type of racing in Russia and its allied country, Belarus, as well as the use of its flags, symbols and anthems. It prohibits Russian teams from participating in any international or regional competition and allows Russian drivers to do so but forces them to compete as neutrals and under the FIA flag. In addition, neither the teams, nor the drivers, nor the cars can wear symbols, colors or flags of Russia. And the Formula 1 Russian GP is definitively cancelled.
The statement issued by the FIA after the invasion of Ukraine
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem today chaired an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) to discuss matters related to the current situation in Ukraine.
In his opening address to the meeting, the FIA President stated: “As you know, the FIA is watching the developments in Ukraine with sadness and shock, and I hope that the current situation will be resolved quickly and peacefully. We condemn the Russian invasion to Ukraine and our thoughts are with all those suffering as a result of the events in Ukraine. I would like to underline that the FIA, together with our promoters, acted proactively on this matter last week and communicated accordingly on Formula 1, Formula 2, WTCR and the International Drifting Cup. An updated version of the different FIA international calendars will be presented at the World Motor Sport Council meeting in Bahrain for approval.”
In accordance with the recommendations of the International Olympic Committee, the members of the Council approved the following decisions that will apply with immediate effect:
What is prohibited and what is allowed from Russia in motorsport
The FIA President added: “I want to thank the members of the Council for their prompt action in deciding these measures in the interest of sport and peace. We stand in solidarity with Leonid Kostyuchenko, the President of the Automobile Federation of Ukraine (FAU) and with the entire FIA family in Ukraine. The measures approved today recognize the authority of the FAU in Ukraine and are in line with the recommendations recently made by the International Olympic Committee. We are in active conversations with our members as we continue to spread our compassion and support in their time of need. We sincerely hope for a peaceful solution to their intolerable difficulties.”
Formula 1 has already revealed that it could not contest the Russian GP next September, while the organizers claimed that this could not yet be decided, something that is now official.
The Ukrainian Automobile Federation asked to go a step further, to withdraw the licenses of Russian drivers, but this Tuesday the FIA was not so severe, which means that Russian and Belarusian athletes can still participate in the championships of the International Federation of the Motorsport, although the teams do not.
Nikita Mazepin’s father, Dmitry, who is close to Vladimir Putin , was in the Kremlin last week with the Russian president and other businessmen to decide how to react to the economic sanctions imposed by the invasion.
During the tests, the Haas team withdrew the sponsorship of its company, Uralkali, and the colors of the Russian flag, going on to compete with an almost completely white car. It must be remembered that Russian pilots, after the state doping scandal at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the sanction of the World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA) and resolution of the CAS , could no longer run with a Russian license or wear the flag of their country, but they did so with a neutral identity.
They will have to continue doing so, after announcing the highest body that they will have to compete “under the FIA flag”.
In addition, Alpine will be able to count on its reserve driver Daniil Kvyat, who recently complained about the IOC recommendation, since in his opinion it was unfair to sanction the drivers because they are not responsible for everything that is happening in their countries. In Ferrari they will not have to do without their young tester Robert Shwartzman and Formula 3 will start with the driver Alexander Smolyar on his grid.
Motorsport is just the latest sport that decides to perform against Russian competitors. In basketball, Russian teams were expelled from the Euroleague , the FIA will not let Russia compete in the 2022 World Cup, and UEFA disqualified Russian clubs that were playing in European competitions. In addition, the Champions League moved to Paris as its venue for this year’s final, which was to be in Saint Petersburg.
