How the Russian invasion will effect F1

I've found three categories in which the invasion will effect F1 as a whole.

Russian GP:

As of 8:21 PM February 24th, there has been no news about the Russian Grand Prix besides a statement that in summary says, “We are looking at it, jeez guys we see it.” I would put money on them canceling it and replacing it with another race nearby. We could get another year of the Turkish Grand Prix or just the addition of another Austrian Grand Prix (because somehow they continue to get a double header). There is absolutely no way Formula One can race in Russia while there is a war going on in their country. This is not even considering the fact that Russia attacked Ukraine unprovoked. If Formula One continues with the plans of the Russian Grand Prix, I’m sure the entire fanbase will be livid. The Slipstream Report team would not cover the race if it goes forward.

Haas:

After the horrific news of the Russian invasion of Ukraine last night, the whole world is waiting in anticipation to see what happens next. The US and NATO have announced the biggest sanctions yet on major companies in Russia, Including Uralkali. Which is, of course, Haas’s title sponsor. Clearly, Haas’s luck with title sponsors continues to be abysmal. Interesting how a blooming war can make even Rich Energy look like a good choice for a sponsor. The rules of F1 state that in times of war, sponsors are not required to fulfill their contracts, which most likely is what will happen here. This means the main funding of the Haas team will once again be swiftly taken away. As of now, Guenther Steiner has been pulled from a press conference to discuss the team’s future.

The most recent update is that Uralkali will be taken off the livery along with the Russian flag, meaning the team will run a white livery on the last day of testing. This has huge implications for the team’s future, as it will now be renamed Haas F1 Team.

This presents a great opportunity for Andretti to make an early entrance into F1 before their petition date of 2024. This would be a welcome solution; the only American team would get an American sponsor. It would provide Gene Haas a way out of the team; as many have foreseen his exit for years now.

I could also see the team being bought out in a similar fashion to the Force India/Racing Point fiasco of 2018. Of course for this to happen, some very wealthy entity would have to be someone interested in the team (*cough Andretti cough*).

The least number of teams allowed in the paddock is eight, so if Haas entered a situation where they aren’t able to fund the team and it shuts down completely, races would run with only 18 drivers. The loss of the German driver Mick Schumacher would be a real shame. He deserves a long-standing seat in F1 after winning the 2020 F2 championship with some brilliant drives. Some may overlook his talent after watching him trundle around in what was essentially a tractor last year.. Schumacher spent last year waiting on a car that has so far underperformed during testing this year. He deserves much more, especially now that Haas finds itself in another rather sticky situation.

I feel awful for this team. Haas has consistently struggled since their establishment in F1. Both the car’s (and some of their drivers’) performance and funding has been abysmal since 2019. Hopefully they can attract new buyers to continue their funding until the end of the season.

Nikita Mazepin:

With Dmitry Mazepin’s involvement with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Nikita Mazepin may have a bleak future ahead. His father, who provides most of the funding for the Haas, has a personal connection with Putin and his affiliates. Nikita has shown pride in his Russian roots throughout his career, but the Ukrainian invasion could potentially cause Mazepin to be forced out of F1 due to his father’s associations. This would bring in Haas’ reserve driver, Pietro Fittipaldi, for the time being. The team could also hire Oscar Piastri if they preferred a younger rookie driver. Nikita Mazepin also has previously said that he still has to serve in the Russian military, which could mean his departure from F1 entirely.