“I was just a teenager”– Nikita Mazepin tries to vindicate himself of video tape controversy which flared #MazepinOut demand by fans

Nikita Mazepin talks about his massive controversy ahead of his Formula 1 debut that almost led to his sacking from Haas.

Nikita Mazepin appeared in a video leaked online allegedly groping a woman. The video instantly caused outrage among the Formula 1 fans and asked for his sacking.

The Russian driver back then was recently announced by Haas, and the video probably made him the most disliked F1 driver even before his debut.

Haas made a closed investigation, with its findings confidential but declared Haas’ driver innocent. It has been claimed that it’s because of his father’s money injected into Haas that saved him.

Talking about the controversy, Mazepin response to it was that he was only a teenager. However, he concedes that there were justified criticisms.

“I don’t feel it at all,” he replied when asked about it by Auto Motor und Sport in an interview this week. “Of course, there was justified criticism of what happened before the season. Some people already have their preconceived opinions, but you have to stay true to yourself.

“You always learn and develop,” he added. “I was just a teenager. I’m here in this paddock to make my team and my father proud,” he said.

Also read: Australian GP boss rejects idea of F1 becoming a rotating part of calendar

Nikita Mazepin doesn’t chase for a bad boy tag

Even after the controversy died down, Mazepin has been on the receiving end of the viewers for various reasons. When asked about whether he is after a bad boy image, he promptly denies it.

nikita mazepin living his best life pic.twitter.com/anVm0yGt5g

— agata 🧡 DR3 WON IN MONZA (@5sos_agata) October 24, 2021

“Absolutely not.Maybe sometimes it comes across that way when you’re on the track fighting against much faster cars with inferior material. You try everything to get a point for the team somehow,” he continued.

“Sometimes I make mistakes, I analyse that and try to do better next time. But I certainly don’t try to be the bad boy on purpose.”

Also read: Sebastian Vettel reveals the time he was wooed when he met his wife

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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