Haas eliminated Russian sponsor Uralkali, owned by Mazepine’s father Dmitriy, from their automobile for pre-season testing in Barcelona on Friday; F1 introduced the cancellation of this yr’s Russian Grand Prix earlier on Friday
Final replace: 02/25/22 1:49 PM
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Haas boss Gunther Steiner says the workforce can survive with out the sponsorship of Russian fertilizer firm Uralkali, and says criticism of driver Nikita Mazepin was unfair.
Haas boss Gunther Steiner says the workforce can survive with out the sponsorship of Russian fertilizer firm Uralkali, and says criticism of driver Nikita Mazepin was unfair.
Haas chief Gunter Steiner has admitted that Russian driver Nikita Mazepin’s future with the workforce is unsure amid the nation’s invasion of Ukraine.
The 22-year-old was signed to a race seat final yr as a part of the US-owned workforce’s title sponsorship take care of Russian potash producer Uralkali, which is owned by his billionaire father Dmitriy Mazepin.
System One leaders introduced on Friday that this yr’s Russian Grand Prix, scheduled for September, has been canceled as a result of it’s “not possible” to carry it underneath “present circumstances”.
Haas eliminated all Uralkali branding and the same old pink, white and blue paint from their automobile on the ultimate day of pre-season testing in Barcelona, as Mazepin hit the observe in the one white automobile on Friday morning in Spain.
Mazepin drove the Haas automobile on Friday morning after the workforce opted to take away its Russian paint and sponsorship from the automobile
Regardless of showing on the observe, Mazepin was pulled from his scheduled look at Friday’s lunchtime drivers information convention, and as a substitute Steiner confronted the media in a specifically organized look, throughout which he confirmed that discussions had been because of happen over each the sponsor and the Russian driver’s future. for the workforce.
“Sure, it ought to be resolved,” Steiner instructed reporters when requested about Mazepin’s future.
“As I stated earlier than, not every part relies on us right here.
“There’s a couple of F1 workforce concerned, there are governments concerned, so I don’t know what’s to return from that facet.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday launched an invasion of Ukraine that by Friday midday arrived within the capital, Kiev, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky reporting 137 deaths.
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Sky Sports activities’ Craig Slater and Ted Kravitz have responded to the information that the 2023 Russian Grand Prix has been known as off following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a separate interview with Sky Sports activities, Steiner stated that with issues going, the workforce deliberate to steer Mazepin in subsequent month’s take a look at in Bahrain, however admitted that the choice could possibly be taken out of their arms.
“Proper now we wish to proceed, however there are exterior issues that may occur that I’ve no management over,” Steiner stated.
“So I say what precisely may occur within the coming weeks and months, however in the mean time it is because of be in Bahrain.
“If circumstances come, we have now to obey them. I do not wish to pre-empt myself, they’ve to return first after which we reply.”
The abuse of social media by Mazepine should cease
Steiner stated the way forward for the workforce’s relationship with Uralkali would work out subsequent week, however insisted Haas can be financially steady even when they needed to minimize ties with the Russian firm.
“It isn’t one thing that bothers the competitors workforce and we’re high quality financially,” Steiner stated.
“There are extra methods to get funding so there is no downside with that.”
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On Wednesday – earlier than the Russian invasion of Ukraine – Mazbein stated he was a “pro-sport with out politics”.
Mazbin, who instructed Sky Sports activities on Wednesday – earlier than the Russian invasion of Ukraine – that he’s a “pro-sport with out politics”, has been subjected to on-line abuse this week.
Steiner confused that the abuse should cease, noting that his driver had nothing to do with the scenario in his dwelling nation.
“It has to cease,” Steiner stated. “Everybody ought to understand that he’s not part of this.
“Sure, he is Russian, he has collateral harm, however he wasn’t concerned in any of this. He is 22… It isn’t his fault.”
