F1 Fans Give Their Verdict on Haas F1 Closing the Door on Nikita Mazepin

Haas F1 team have confirmed that Nikita Mazepin will not race for them in 2022. This comes after MotorSport UK announced that no Russian drivers will take part in the British Grand Prix.

The American-based team has also stated to end the partnership with Uralkali following the dispute between Ukraine and Russia.

Statement from Haas

Nikita Mazepin had a torrid start to his F1 career, and 2022 hasn’t improved his fortunes. Earlier, the FIA canceled the race in Russia, which was originally planned to go ahead on September 25th. They announced that the drivers from Russia and Belarus can race with a neutral flag.

Formula One also stated that the Russian and Belarusian drivers must not demonstrate their support to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, Haas have decided to pull the plug on Mazepin and Uralkali which is owned by Mazepin’s father, Dmitry Mazepin.

Haas disclosed a statement on terminating the contract of both Uralkali and Mazepin. It read, “Haas F1 Team has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the Title partnership of Uralkali, and the driver contract of Nikita Mazepin. As with the rest of the Formula One community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict.”

The Russian driver felt let down by the decision. He conveyed, “I am very disappointed to hear that my F1 contract has been terminated. While I understand the difficulties, the ruling from FIA plus my ongoing willingness to accept the conditions proposed in order to continue were completely ignored and no process was followed in this unilateral step.”

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It remains to be seen whether Nikita Mazepin will race in formula one in the near future. Meanwhile, there was a mixed reaction on twitter when the news broke.

Twitter reactions

Here is how Twitter is reacting to the recent developments.

Who will replace Mazepin?

Haas are yet to announce the replacement for the 23-year-old driver. The rumors suggest that their current reserve driver, Pietro Fittipaldi, is in line to replace Mazepin.

The Brazilian-American driver raced in the IndyCar Championship in 2018 for Dale Coyne Racing. Fittipaldi replaced former Haas driver Romain Grosjean following the injuries sustained by him in the Bahrain Grand Prix. He raced in the Sakhir Grand Prix and finished 17th.

However, Fittipaldi is not the only name Haas is considering. According to BILD, former Alfa Romeo driver Antonio Giovinazzi is also one of the candidates who could take over the seat. The Italian is currently a reserve driver with Ferrari, and his experience in Formula One could be a factor for Haas.

With the news of Nikita Mazepin’s dismissal and the termination of the partnership with Uralkali, Haas are headed towards a new direction. Who will partner Mick Schumacher in 2022 remains to be seen.

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