F1’s Haas cuts ties with driver Mazepin, sponsor

F1's Haas cuts ties with driver Mazepin, sponsor

Haas Components One crew has terminated the contract of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin and title sponsor Uralkali.

The choice was made within the wake of Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and means no Russians will register to drive in Components One earlier than the brand new season.

“The Haas F1 Crew has chosen to terminate, with speedy impact, the Uralkali title partnership, and the driving force’s contract with Nikita Mazepin,” the crew mentioned in an announcement. “As with the remainder of the Components 1 neighborhood, the crew is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and desires a speedy and peaceable finish to the battle.”

The FIA ​​had stored open the potential of Mazepin racing in F1 this yr when it introduced earlier this week that Russian and Belarusian drivers could be allowed to proceed competing in worldwide motorsport so long as they had been racing below a impartial flag. It agreed to not categorical any help for Russia’s actions in Ukraine.

Nevertheless, Haas introduced on Saturday that the take care of Mazepin and Uralcalli had been terminated, with the crew saying information relating to a alternative driver would observe subsequent week.

An hour after the information unfold, Mazepin issued an announcement by way of his accounts on social media.

“I’m very dissatisfied to listen to that my Components One contract has expired,” Mazepin mentioned. “Whereas I perceive the difficulties, the ruling by the FIA ​​in addition to my continued need to simply accept the phrases proposed in an effort to proceed had been ignored, and no course of was adopted on this unilateral step.

“To those that have tried to know, my everlasting thanks. I cherish my time in Components One and I sincerely hope we will get again collectively once more in higher instances. I’ll have extra to say within the coming days.”

Mazbin joined Hass at the start of 2023 as a part of a sponsorship take care of the Russian fertilizer firm Uralkali, which is partly owned by his father Dmitry by way of his firm Uralchem.

Dmitriy Mazbin was one of many prime businessmen who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Kremlin in Moscow final week to debate the sanctions imposed on the nation within the wake of the invasion of Ukraine.

The Uralkali deal helped Haas safe its funds forward of the 2023 season and resulted in a title sponsorship settlement that noticed the automotive painted within the colours of the Russian flag.

On the ultimate day of this yr’s first preparatory check in Barcelona final week, Uralkali livery and branding had been faraway from the automotive, though Mazepin continues to drive the VF22 as deliberate.

Talking on the ultimate day of testing final week, as soon as the colour adjustments, Haas boss Guenther Steiner mentioned the crew would be capable of survive with out the Mazepins cash.

“We’re effective financially,” Steiner mentioned. “There isn’t a utility to the crew, how we handle it, how we do it, how we plan for the season.

“There are extra methods to get funding. So there is no drawback with that.”

F1 introduced on Thursday that it has closed its deal to carry a race in Russia, which suggests the nation is not going to host a grand prix for the foreseeable future.