Russian GP seen at risk as country hit with sanctions

Russia's threat to wage war against Ukraine has likely put at risk the 17th round of the Formula World Championship that is scheduled to take place in Sochi next September.

Russian president Vladimir Putin has so far limited his country's incursion into neighboring Ukraine to the Donetsh and Luhansk eastern territories.

But Russia's recognition of the latter as independent republics is seen by many as a preliminary move to a broad invasion.

Western countries have condemned Russia's action, with the United States imposing on the latter a first wave of sanctions that will likely only ramp up in the coming weeks, while the European Union will follow suit with a package targeting Russia's financial and banking sectors.

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On Tuesday, UK prime minister Boris Johnson said that it is "inconceivable" that Russia host next spring's Champion's League football event in Moscow

"I think it inconceivable that major international football tournaments can take place in Russia after... the invasion of a sovereign country," said Johnson.

Formula 1 has yet to address how the current conflict in Ukraine could potentially impact the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi. But unless a dramatic de-escalation of events takes place in short order and sanctions are reined in – a very improbable scenario – an outright cancelation of the race should be expected.

The Russian Grand Prix is scheduled to take place on September 25 and is earmarked as the first leg of a grueling Russia-Singapore-Japan triple-header for F1 teams.

Formula 1 would likely not have much difficulty in replacing Sochi on the sport's 23-race calendar, with venues such as Portimao or Mugello perhaps interested in hosting once again a round of the F1 World Championship.

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