Road-weary F1 drivers get a small win as officials decide not to replace canceled Russian Grand Prix

• F1 will not replace the Russian Grand Prix on the 2022 schedule, shortening the season to 22 races.
• The Sochi race was canceled after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Formula One drivers finally got a small win in the sport's seemingly neverending quest to add more races.

On Wednesday, the FIA announced it would not replace the canceled Russian Grand Prix, reverting the season to 22 races instead of a record-setting 23.

In February, after Russia invaded Ukraine, the FIA canceled September's race in Sochi. Initially, officials said they would find a replacement, with several countries in Europe and the Middle East mentioned as candidates.

The decision to cancel that stop altogether will come as a relief to the drivers, who have lamented the grueling schedule and continual season expansion. F1 debuted a race in Miami this year and will add Las Vegas in 2023, looking possibly to more countries in the future, such as China and South Africa.

In a recent interview with Insider, McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo noted that 23 races are extreme considering how much there is to do between races.

"I think 23 races is okay if there wasn't so much stuff, you know, before and after the weekend as well," Ricciardo told Insider ahead of the Miami GP. "If it was like Friday to Sunday, 23 times a year, that would be okay. But sometimes we're getting to a race, you know, Tuesday, Wednesday to already start doing some marketing and some events and things ... It's quite a lot with everything else."

So what is the ideal number of races for Ricciardo? He says the perfect season would be about 20% shorter.

"I would say like the way it is, and how it's structured, maybe 18 is a sweeter number," Ricciardo said. "I mean, I'm not complaining. Like, I'm certainly up for [23 races]. This is just kind of a magic wand."

Williams driver Alex Albon agreed.

"Twenty-three races is tough, and on top of 23 races, we do much more than that," Albon told Insider. "I've spent about two and a half weeks at my house since the beginning of the year, in total. I'm living in a suitcase."

In addition to one fewer race on the schedule, the drivers will also get a much-welcome late-season vacation.

By leaving the Russian Grand Prix's September date open, the drivers will have a rare three-week break between Italy and Singapore, the 16th and 17th races on the schedule.

Albon and the other drivers will get a chance to spend some of that time at home.