Sebastian Vettel Boycotting F1's Russian Grand Prix over Attack on Ukraine

Four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel said that he will not race in September's Russian Grand Prix after Russia launched a military attack on Ukraine on Thursday.

"For myself, my opinion is I should not go—I will not go," Vettel said during a Thursday news conference (h/t Jeff Gluck of The Athletic). "I think it’s wrong to race in the country. I’m sorry for the innocent people who are losing their lives and getting killed for stupid reasons and very, very strange and mad leadership."

F1 released a statement that it is monitoring the situation (h/t TMZ Sports): "Formula One is closely watching the very fluid developments like many others and at this time has no further comment on the race scheduled for September. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely."

World champion Max Verstappen also expressed reservations about racing in Russia.

"I think when a country is at war it's not correct to race there, that's for sure," Verstappen said, per Jerome Pugmire of the Associated Press. "But it's not only what I think, it's the whole paddock [that is] going to decide what we are going to do next."

The Russian Grand Prix is scheduled to be held on September 25 in Sochi.

Vettel's announcement comes amid the UEFA's reported decision to pull the May 28 Champions League final out of Saint Petersburg, per ESPN FC's Mark Ogden.

"Following the evolution of the situation between Russia and Ukraine, the UEFA president has called an extraordinary meeting of the Executive Committee for 10 a.m. CET [4 a.m. ET] on Friday 25 February, in order to evaluate the situation and take all necessary decisions," UEFA said in a statement. "Further communication will be made after the meeting of the UEFA Executive Committee."

The football federations of Poland, Sweden and the Czech Republic, who are scheduled to take part in a four-team single-leg World Cup qualifying playoff in March, also implored FIFA to move the matches out of Russia.

Now the status of the Russian Grand Prix could be in question.