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“Why? Just replace Sochi with Portugal or Turkey!”- F1 Twitter split over the sport’s decision to not replace the cancelled Russian Grand Prix

Somin Bhattacharjee
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"Why? Just replace Sochi with Portugal or Turkey!"- F1 Twitter split over the sport's decision to not replace the cancelled Russian Grand Prix

Earlier this year, F1 made the decision to cancel their outing in Russia after the country started a war in neighboring Ukraine. 

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sent shockwaves throughout the entire world. Even within the sporting community, it was a widely condemned move and several athletes, teams and organizations made their anti-war sentiments absolutely clear.

Sebastian Vettel was the first F1 driver to state that he won’t be taking part in the Russian GP if it goes ahead. Other drivers soon joined him in his stance, and it wasn’t long before the governing body made the decision to scrap the outing in Sochi altogether.

2022 was supposed to be a record breaking year for F1. With 23 races in the original calendar, it was going to be the most number of Grand Prix races in one F1 season. However, Russia’s removal from the list sparked doubts regarding the same.

There were rumors about tracks like Sepang, Hockenheim, Mugello or Istanbul replacing Sochi. Despite these rumors, F1 announced on Wednesday that no race would replace the 2022 Russian Grand Prix.

Also read: “Fernando Alonso is the only guy you can completely trust”- Alpine’s Esteban Ocon on what makes his teammate an exceptional competitor

F1 fans wanted other tracks to replace Sochi in the 2022 calendar

There will now be just 22 races in the 2022 calendar. With five rounds already over, fans have 17 more weekends of F1 action to look forward to this campaign. However, we won’t see the sport break the record by having 23 races in one season.

Some fans feel that it’s a good call, since drivers and teams will get more rest. 23 races in one season is hectic for the teams, so having even one weekend off seems like a good call.

On the other hand, prospects of having tracks like Sepang and Hockenheim returning were appealing to the vast majority. The decision to not replace the Russian GP with one of those tracks have left plenty disappointed.

The next round of F1 racing takes place this weekends. All ten teams and their drivers travel to the Circuit de Catalunya-Barcelona for the Spanish GP.

Also read: “These Lawnmowers are pretty fast, that’s good fun”- Kimi Raikkonen races with F1 colleagues with Lawnmower

About the author

Somin Bhattacharjee

Somin Bhattacharjee

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Formula 1 Editor Somin Bhattacharjee fell for the sport as well as Fernando Alonso on the same day — during the Spaniard’s thrilling victory at the German GP in 2010. Over the years, the passion magnified manyfold, and metamorphosed into a writing career in 2021. Though holding a bachelor's degree in marketing, Somin discovered his true calling in writing. He has penned over 2,700 articles for TheSportsRush, presenting a diverse range — news reports, opinions, and exclusives. A true Tiffosi, Somin never gives up on a chance to defend the Ferrari boys as a fan. As a sports writer though, he remains objective to the core and relishes opportunities to follow and engage in dissecting the action during races. That’s where the real thrill lies for him. Beyond the racetrack, Somin plays different sports including soccer. He enjoys exploring other sporting events and proudly supports Spanish soccer club Real Madrid.

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