Nikita Mazepin admits that a ‘small number’ of current F1 drivers sent him supportive messages after Haas axed him last week.
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Haas wasted no time in removing all Uralkali branding from their team. The Russian fertilizer company is owned by Dimitri Mazepin, who has close ties to the Russian president Vladimir Putin.
With Uralkali’s removal also came Dimitri Mazepin’s son Nikita’s contract termination. Even though the FIA allowed Russian drivers to continue racing, Haas found it best to part ways with the young Russian.
After his axing, the 23-year old admitted that he was disappointed, because the American team didn’t make any efforts in keeping him. From the F1 community as a whole, the Moscow born driver didn’t receive wide-spread support.
— Nikita Mazepin (@nikita_mazepin) March 5, 2022
However, Mazepin revealed that some F1 drivers did reach out to him. Red Bull’s Sergio Perez, Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Mercedes’ George Russell sent him supportive messages. In a video conference, Mazepin thanked them for reaching out.
“I appreciated the small number of drivers who expressed their support for me,” said Mazepin. “Sergio, Valtteri, Charles and George all contacted me.”
Also read: Nikita Mazepin fumed at Mick Schumacher after the former got removed from team
The messages were not political but on a personal level, says Nikita Mazepin
Mazepin went on to say that the other drivers’ support meant a lot. The messages these four drivers sent were not political, but were only to wish him well.
“They know how important the situation is, and they showed their support after I lost the opportunity to compete,” he continued.
“The messages were nothing political but just on a personal level. To keep my head up because athletes have been broken and lives have been destroyed after a decision like that.”
Today I am announcing the creation of a new foundation to help athletes who have been blocked from competing for political reasons. #WeCompeteAsOne
— Nikita Mazepin (@nikita_mazepin) March 9, 2022
“I would also like to add that I’m thankful for the support from them. Because in the long journey towards F1, they’ve been, every one of them, risking losing their seats, and they actually support me in this time when I lost my dream, and I lost my drive.”
“We all know that the career of an athlete is a short one. And that it requires years of intense sacrifice to perform at the highest level.”
“When that final reward is taken away, it is devastating. And no one is thinking what happens next to these athletes. I will be addressing this,” he concluded.
