FORMULA ONE’S decision to cancel the Russian Grand Prix will hopefully spell the end of Vladimir Putin’s pathetic vanity project. The race – due to be held in September in Sochi, the venue for the 2014 Winter Olympics – was ditched following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But with Ecclestone no longer in control, the Russian GP has turned out to be nothing short of an embarrassment. Ecclestone convinced Russia to pay $50million (£37.3m) a year – at the time of the first race in 2014, it was more than any other venue on the F1 calendar. It comes after F1’s governing body was put under increased pressure to boot out Haas’ Russian driver Nikita Mazepin. The FIA have been urged to stop all drivers competing with a Russian racing licence.

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