Nikita Mazepin’s controversies – joke ‘grope’ footage and daddy’s billions
Nikita Mazepin, the axed Russian Haas F1 driver, cast a controversial figure during his time in the sport, with a number of incidents and awkward moments defining his time there.
After two years on the training slopes of F2 for the 2019 and 2020 seasons – finishing 18th and 5th respectively – he graduated to the big leagues of F1 in 2021 taking a seat with Haas.
He joined the team the same year as Mick Schumacher, the son of F1 royalty Michael Schumacher.
The pair were brought in to replace Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean, but Mazepin arrived on the scene already surrounded by controversy.
Daddy paid the way
The team has, until now, enjoyed a sponsorship deal with Russian firm Uralkali, on whose board Mazepin’s billionaire father Dmitry Mazepin sits. Oligarch Dmitry has years of links to Vladimir Putin.
Mazepin enjoyed some success in his time in F2, but a season best of 5th is far from the most impressive record on the grid.
Rumours appearedon his signing for the team that Dmitry was investing $20 million a year into the team for four years.
The following year Nikita secured a spot in F1, in a team majorly sponsored by a company in which his father is a top boss.
This is far from an unusual set-up in F1, but it would have made Mazepin harder to remove than other drivers based on poor results, on and off the track.
This was discussed by Haas’ team principal Guenther Steiner at the time, who said: "There are a lot of drivers who reach F1 with financial support.
"There are some very good drivers in F1 who brought a sponsor in the beginning.”
Adding: "George Russell is for me one of the best drivers, but without the help of Mercedes he would be nowhere. There are a lot of them; Lance Stroll is on the podium. If they are good in F2 and have a sponsor, it is a perfect solution."
"Groping" a woman
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Within a week of joining the team, Haas slammed its new driver’s ‘abhorrent’ behaviour after footage emerged appearing to show him touching a woman inappropriately – although she later clarified the situation.
After seeming to grope her, the video was deleted and Haas said the matter had been dealt with internally – despite calls for him to be dropped.
Haas said in a statement at the time: "Haas F1 Team does not condone the behaviour of Nikita Mazepin in the video recently posted on his social media.
"Additionally, the very fact that the video was posted on social media is also abhorrent to Haas F1 Team. The matter is being dealt with internally and no further comment shall be made at this time."
Mazepin himself also issued an apology, although failed to mention the woman he was accused of touching. He said: "I would like to apologise for my recent actions, both in terms of my own inappropriate behaviour, and the fact that it was posted on to social media.
"I am sorry for the offence I have rightly caused and to the embarrassment I have brought to Haas F1 Team. I have to hold myself to a higher standard as a Formula One driver and I acknowledge I have let myself and many people down. I promise I will learn from this."
The woman alleged to be in the video, and who also claims to have posted it, later said on Instagram: “Hi guys, I just want to let you know Nikita and I have been good friends for a long time and nothing from that video was serious at all!
“We trust each other so much and this was a silly way of joking between us. I posted this video on his story as an internal joke. I am truly sorry. I can give you my word he’s a really good person and he would never do anything to hurt me or humiliate me.”
Alleged nightclub fiasco
In a separate incident, Mazepin denied he was kicked out of a nightclub after footage appeared to show him arguing with a bouncer during an evening out in Mexico City.
He said: "The situation from my side was really clear. Definitely no one was kicked out.
"I was upset because one of my engineers was leaving, so I invited everybody from the team to see me and one of the members was not let in, unfortunately."
Getting himself into a spin
Mazepin developed a taste for crashing during his time in the sport.
In particular, he earned a reputation for spinning his motor while behind the wheel, a trait that led Hass boss Steiner to give him a spinning top in order to help him see the funny side.
“Here’s a little present for you, so you can keep on ‘Mazespinning’”, Steiner said when he handed over the gift.
“It’s the Mazespin”, he added. “There’s two of them now. If you spin this one, it’s better than spinning the car.”
The Russian also began to attract attention from fans who believed that his driving was dangerous after a crash with Nicholas Latifi, although the crash was not seen as his fault.
During their time together Schumacher, who won the F2 championship, regularly beat Mazepin in Grand Prixformu.
Punching a teammate
Before his time in Formula 2, Mazepin drove in Formula 3, but things didn't quite go to plan when he received a one-race ban for punching British driver and teammate Callum Ilott in the face.
The sponsorship repeal
Since Haas made the decision to remove Mazepin from its lineup and cut ties with the team's principal sponsor, Uralkali, the Russian firm has begun legal proceedings to claim back its full 2022 sponsorship from the team.
Mazepin was dropped after Motorsport UK announced Russian competitors and those linked to Russia would not be permitted to compete in the British Grand Prix in the wake of Putin's war in Ukraine.
The driver claimed he only found out the news in the press, and vowed to support whoever was picked to replace him.
In a press conference on Wednesday, he said: “First of all, I want to say that I understand that the world is not like it was two weeks ago. It was an extremely painful time for both you and me. People who are not here see it from a different angle. We in Russia and Ukraine see it's on many other levels.
“I was planning to start as a neutral athlete. The FIA allowed it. I had no problem with that, but the night before my contract was terminated, additional directives came out and as we started to analyse them, I got a message the next morning that the contract was cancelled. I was fired.
“I deserved more support from the team. I was relieved to see that the FIA allowed us to start in neutral colours. I was hoping to drive. Then everything changed and I lost the dream I had been working for for 18 years."
He added: “I heard about my Haas sacking, like everyone else, from the press. I didn't deserve it.
“I was very disappointed with how it played out. I hadn't been worried since I left Barcelona.
“Formula One is not a closed chapter for me. I will be ready to race in case there is an opportunity to return. I wish all the best to the drivers who will replace me. They have nothing to do with the existing situation.”
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