Following the globally criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the Haas F1 team removed the branding of its Russian title sponsors.
Haas F1 team decided to remove the branding of its Russian title sponsor – Uralkali. The team will run an all-white livery on the final day of the Barcelona test.
Haas joined hands with the Russian company Uralkali in 2021. The team also signed the company’s owner Dmitry Mazepin’s son Nikita as their driver in an effort to safeguard the future of the team.
However, following recent developments, there have been concerns that the team might get vulnerable if its title sponsorship deal is seriously at risk.
The possibility of sanctions from the US, UK and the EU could get the team into trouble. Even if Uralkali somehow manages to avoid the sanctions, it is possible that making payments to Haas will be difficult.
However, F1 journalist Scott Mitchell pointed out that either way Haas’s future is not thought to be at risk.
He explained that Haas signed a deal with the Russian company to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. And even though the funding from the company is important for the team, it is only a minority backer.
He said, “Haas might realistically plug any gap that could emerge. It could be either with new sponsors, direct funding from owner Gene Haas, or a combination of the two.”
Nikita Mazepin’s seat might become available at Haas
As Nikita Mazepin is the son of the owner of the Uralkali team, it is possible that any difficulty in funding might cause trouble for his career. However, Mazepin will face his own logistical concerns.
To my fans and followers – it’s a difficult time and I am not in control over a lot of what is being said and done. I’m choosing to focus on what I CAN control by working hard and doing my best for my @HaasF1Team . My deepest thanks for your understanding and support. 🙏
— Nikita Mazepin (@nikita_mazepin) February 25, 2022
The race journalist also pointed out that a long-term threat looms over the head of Mazepin. Given the possibility of visa bans being imposed on Russian citizens, it is possible that he might not be available for the team.
Most of the countries in the 2022 race calendar require Russian citizens to have a visa. The only exceptions to this are Azerbaijan, Brazil and UAE. However, it is yet to be looked at properly in the coming days.
Moreover, if Mazepin’s seat becomes available, Haas will almost certainly find candidates willing and available who could bring some money as well.
