The Russian GP is in doubt for the 2022 F1 season. The race was due to take place in Sochi for one last time this year, before moving to Igora Drive, St. Petesburg, in 2023. But the ongoing crisis in Eastern Europe involving Russia and Ukraine has left no option but to make Russia responsible for the conflict and violation of democracy.

This has undoubtedly got to the sports world, with UEFA planning on changing the location of the Champions League final away from the country. F1 said in a statement they’re “monitoring the situation”.

Speaking at the FIA press conference during the lunch break on the second day of testing, Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto has confirmed F1 teams will meet after the end of the session, to discuss what can be done about the situation of the Russian GP this year:

“I think it’s very sad. At the moment all we can do is only to wait and hope for the better.

“I think from now to the race in September there is time. My wish is that somehow everything will stop very soon.

“F1 is trying to manage the situation, we will have a meeting between us already tonight, to try to understand what’s the situation, how to cope and how to manage with it.

“So I think at the moment we can only try to, not saying standby, but certainly try to have between us a deep discussion, understand all the implications, and make the right choice for the future.

“But I think F1 in that situation is not the most important one. What’s the most important is what’s happening there, which as I said is very sad,” Binotto concluded.

Drivers and team bosses have been vocal in their concerns about the situation, especially Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel, who expressed that he “will not go” to Sochi if the race does happen later in the year. He was supported by fellow Red Bull champion Max Verstappen, who said it’s “not right” to race in a country which is in a war.

As much as Binotto, Williams’ Jost Capito has made it clear that F1 is not a priority right now, and is concerned for the poor citizens and innocent people involved in the conflict:

"I think it's a very sad situation, and our thoughts are with the people who are involved," he said.

"And it also shows us shows us when we look in the mirror that F1 is not the most important [thing] in the world, that there are bigger issues than F1. We think about the performance of our cars, where other people are scared to lose their lives.

"I think that we have to have this in mind, and I think we're all aligned on this. And what happens in the future, I think we have a very good relationship with the FOM and with the FIA, and these are the governing bodies.

"And they are aware about the situation, they are on top of it, and they will take a proper and the right decision for all of us," Capito concluded.

The situation regarding these events is very fluid, and MotorLAT will bring you updates as soon as we have them.