Haas ditch Mazepin over dad’s Putin link

RUSSIA’S invasion of Ukraine continued to rumble through Formula One yesterday, with Haas sacking driver Nikita Mazepin.

The American-owned team also dropped sponsors Uralkali, a Russian fertiliser company part-owned by Mazepin’s oligarch father Dmitry, 53, an associate of Vladimir Putin.

Haas said the terminations were with ‘immediate effect’, adding: ‘The team is shocked by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift end to the conflict.’

The team were helped towards their decision by Motorsport UK declaring no Russian-linked competitors would be allowed to compete in this country, making Mazepin ineligible for the British Grand Prix. Haas believe their finances can survive the loss of Uralkali’s annual contribution of £20million. They were not induced to back Mazepin despite his willingness to follow an FIA requirement, ‘to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and all those suffering as a result of the ongoing conflict’.

Mazepin, 23, hit back on social media, saying: ‘I am very disappointed. The ruling from the FIA plus my ongoing willingness to accept the conditions proposed were completely ignored, and no process was followed in this unilateral step.’

It was impossible for Haas to ignore that Mazepin’s father, worth a reputed £5billion, had strong Putin links. He attended a meeting with the Russian president following the invasion of Ukraine.

The sacking comes days after the Russian Grand Prix in Sochi in September, and due to be staged in Putin’s home city of St Petersburg from next year, was removed from the calendar permanently by the sport’s owners, Liberty Media.

Haas’ leading candidate to replace Mazepin is Kevin Magnussen, the Dane who Mazepin replaced in 2021. Reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi and Italian Antonio Giovinazzi are also under consideration.