“On Thursday evening, Formula 1, the FIA ​​and the teams discussed the position of our sport, and the conclusion is, taking into account the opinion of all stakeholders, that it is impossible to organize the Grand Prix. Russia under the current circumstances," F1 promoter Formula One said in a statement.

“We follow the developments in Ukraine with sadness and amazement and hope for a quick and peaceful resolution of the current situation”, is it also written.

The decision comes a day after several drivers called for the race to be canceled - including world champions Max Verstappen (2021) and Sebastian Vettel (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013).

View of the trophy which will be awarded to the winner of the Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix on September 26, 2021 in Sochi Yuri Kochetkov POOL/AFP/Archives

"It's horrible to see what is happening. For my part, my opinion is that I should not go, I will not go", had reacted the German Vettel, driver of Aston Martin, during of a press conference.

For the last day of pre-season testing on Friday, the American Formula 1 Haas team, for its part, chose not to wear the Russian colors of its main sponsor Uralkali, a Russian group specializing in potash.

Haas, whose single-seaters usually sport the colors blue, white and red as for the Russian flag, presented a plain white livery, without the branding of its title sponsor.

Team principal Guenther Steiner explained on Friday that a decision would be announced next week on the future of the long-term collaboration between Haas and Uralkali.

He added that the team was not affected at the moment by Western sanctions against Russia.

Uralkali's non-executive director is businessman Dmitry Mazepin, the father of Haas driver Nikita Mazepin.

The latter's future at the wheel of a Haas is not guaranteed due to developments in the situation, added Steiner.

Giuseppe CACACE AFP/Archives

The Russian Grand Prix was added to the F1 calendar for the first time in 2014.

The city of Sochi, host of the Winter Olympics the same year, had been chosen to host it.

The 2022 Russian GP was to be the last to be held in Sochi, before moving to Saint Petersburg in 2023.

© 2022 AFP