Haas F1 driver Nikita Mazepin tests positive for COVID-19 hours before season finale in Abu Dhabi

Haas F1 driver Nikita Mazepin is set to miss the 2021 season finale in Abu Dhabi after testing positive for COVID-19 on Sunday morning.

In a press release, the team said:

“Nikita is physically well, having been asymptomatic, but he will now self-isolate and adhere to the guidelines of the relevant public health authorities, with safety the ultimate priority for all parties concerned.”

Meanwhile, the Haas F1 team will not be replacing the Russian with a substitute driver for the race, despite having reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi on stand-by. This is due to FIA regulations that require a substitute driver to have participated in at least one session during the weekend prior to the race.

Therefore, the team will be contesting the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a single car, driven by Mick Schumacher.

Mazepin is the second driver to test positive for COVID-19 this year after Kimi Raikkonen had to miss the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix earlier in the year.

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Closest F1 championship battle in history set to go down to the wire in Abu Dhabi

Ahead of the final race of the season, title protagonists Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton are level on points for only the second time in F1 history. The previous instance was in 1974, involving drivers Clay Regazzoni and Emerson Fittipaldi.

While Max Verstappen holds a slight advantage with his nine wins to Lewis Hamilton’s eight, the latter has form on his side after winning the last three rounds.

However, Verstappen and Red Bull have shown they are not easily beaten, with a stunning pole in qualifying. The team has also chosen to start the race on grippier soft tires, which Hamilton says is a deliberate and tactical move.

In an effort to match the superior straight-line speed of the Mercedes, Red Bull have gone for a bold setup for their drivers, sacrificing downforce in order to claw back some speed on the straights.