Formula 1: There was supposed to be a race over the weekend

There was once scheduled to be a Formula 1 race this past weekend, but the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom was canceled before the 2022 season began.

The 2020 Formula 1 schedule was overhauled as a result of COVID-19-related restrictions, and the 2021 schedule also saw a significant number of changes due to the same.

The 2022 schedule has been spared from such changes, but there was one cancellation for a separate reason.

Had the initial record-breaking 23-race 2022 schedule not been changed, there would have been a Formula 1 race this past Sunday, September 25, the first race of a second tripleheader.

But before the 2022 season began, the decision was made to cancel this year’s running of the Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom.

This decision came following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

There were initially rumors that another race would take its place, potentially at Losail International Circuit in Qatar, which signed a 10-year deal with Formula 1 last year but was not originally on the 2022 schedule as a result of the World Cup, or a second race at Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore ahead of this coming weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix.

But in mid-May, it was confirmed that the 2022 season would move forward with a record-tying 22 races as opposed to 23.

Notably, Formula 1 no longer plans to race in Russia at all moving forward. The initial plan was for this past weekend’s race at the 18-turn, 3.634-mile (5.848-kilometer) road course in Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia to be the ninth and final event at the track, prior to a move to Autodrom Igora Drive in St. Petersburg for 2023. However, that will not happen.

There are six races remaining on the 2022 schedule, and there are just two more off weekends scheduled before the end of the season.

Here is a look at the remaining calendar.

• Sunday, October 2 – Singapore Grand Prix, Marina Bay Street Circuit
• Sunday, October 9 – Japanese Grand Prix, Suzuka International Racing Course
• Sunday, October 16 – N/A
• Sunday, October 23 – United States Grand Prix, Circuit of the Americas
• Sunday, October 30 – Mexico City Grand Prix, Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
• Sunday, November 6 – N/A
• Sunday, November 13 – Sao Paulo Grand Prix, Interlagos Circuit
• Sunday, November 20 – Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Marina Circuit

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen owns a commanding 116-point lead over Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc in the driver standings through 16 races as he seeks a second consecutive world championship.