Russian drivers Nikolay Gryazin and Alexander Rzhevkin will miss the Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Cabreira and Boticas Rally, the opener of the sport’s national and European championships, due to a lack of tire and other material suppliers.
According to a press release from the organization, the two drivers, who drive Skoda Fabia, “did not bring anyone to supply/sell them tires and other equipment, in addition to all the logistics necessary for their participation in the round of ‘opening of the European Championship’. ”.
Of the three registered Russians, only Dmitri Feofanov (Ford Fiesta) will be able to participate, his sports license being registered in Latvia.
Gryazin has already won four events of the European Rally Championship (ERC), which this year has competitions in Portugal – the Rally Serras de Fafe, Felgueiras, Cabreira e Boticas and the Azores Rally -, the last in Latvia in 2021 , after being second in the championship in 2018.
The information was provided to the Demoporto club, which organizes the inaugural event of the Portuguese Rally Championship (CPR), which will be played between Friday and Sunday, demonstrating the effects on the sport of the Russian military assault on Ukrainian soil.
On March 1, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that Russian and Belarusian teams are banned from participating in international competitions, with individual drivers subject to a specific code of conduct, according to which they will not race under the flag. , anthem and colors relating to Russia.
In the early hours of February 24, Russia launched a military offensive in Ukraine that killed at least 406 civilians and injured more than 800 and caused the flight of more than two million people to neighboring countries, according to the latest UN data. the UN.
The Russian invasion was condemned by most of the international community, which responded by sending arms to Ukraine and increasing economic sanctions against Moscow.
