Oct.25 (GMM) Vitaly Petrov has abruptly vacated his post as a F1 steward this weekend following the apparent assassination of his father in Russia.
The FIA announced on Saturday that Formula E safety car driver Bruno Correia has stepped up at Portimao to replace Petrov “due to a personal bereavement”.
Multiple Russian reports claim that former F1 driver Petrov’s 61-year-old father Alexandr was shot to death at his home in Vyborg on Saturday evening.
Petrov senior was a powerful businessman and politician in the region, with some reports suggesting the supposed de-facto “ruler” of Vyborg was gunned down by a sniper.
Earlier, six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had questioned 36-year-old Vitaly Petrov’s nomination as F1 steward this weekend in light of his widely circulated anti-Black Lives Matter comments.
When asked about Hamilton’s disapproval, Petrov’s Russian countryman Daniil Kvyat said in Portugal: “I haven’t read all the comments, but I don’t think anyone expects everyone to agree with them all of the time.
“It is only natural that people may have different opinions, and he (Petrov) just expressed his own. But I have not followed this story so I am not really ready to comment on it,” the Alpha Tauri driver added.
Jun.10 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg could find himself with a starring role in a future round…
Jun.9 (GMM) Many new fans of top-level single seater racing do not understand "how motorsport…
Jun.9 (GMM) The 'Adrian Newey effect' is already happening at Aston Martin, according to team…
Jun.9 (GMM) Lance Stroll looks set to return to the wheel of his Aston Martin…
Jun.9 (GMM) Lewis Hamilton's hopes of an eighth world championship are slipping away. That's the…
Jun.9 (GMM) Three former Formula 1 drivers agree that Oscar Piastri has become the clear…