Nikita Mazepin claims that the cancel culture against Russia has cost him his F1 seat as Haas fired him right before the 2022 season.
The Russian invasion attack on Ukraine had ripple effects on F1 too. The immediate stance against the aggression by the drivers and the officials eliminated the Russian involvement in the sport. Firstly the Russian GP contract was cancelled.
Then FIA declared that Russian drivers can’t represent their country’s flags in their events. Meanwhile, some countries even banned Russian drivers for their motorsport events.
But Nikita Mazepin probably took the biggest hit in the motorsport. The 23-year-old driver was sacked by Haas right before the start of the season, and was replaced by Kevin Magnussen.
Reacting to that event, Mazepin believes that he lost his F1 seat because of the cancel culture against Russia. And he intends to fight the sanctions implemented on him and other Russian athletes.
“I don’t agree with being in the sanctions and I’ve said previously that I intend to fight it,” he told the BBC. “If you look at the whole situation of what’s happening against athletes, it’s cancel culture against my country.”
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Nikita Mazepin asking money from Haas to aid Russian athletes
Mazepin claimed that he only got to know about his sacking from the team when Haas released a public statement. This act didn’t go well with the Russian athlete, as no prior information was communicated to him.
Nevertheless, Mazepin bought himself a seat to F1, as his father’s company Uralkali became a big sponsor in the team. But after the Russian attack, even Uralkali was dropped from the team.
But the Mazepins claim that they had already paid Haas the sponsorship for 2022. Thus, they demanded a refund from the only American F1 team.
Further, teh statement by Mazepin claimed that the money sought from the refund would be used to aid the Russian athletes, who saw an affect in their livelihood from the sanctions.
He specified that the money would be used in assisting those athletes to get jobs and legal aid for the coming days. FIFA and UEFA have already disallowed Russian clubs and the National team to participate in any of their international events.
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