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F2 team Hitech Grand Prix followed Haas F1 in cutting ties with Russian sponsor company Uralkali. The Haas title sponsor has received a lot of backlash for its owner Dmitry Mazepin's close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict has shocked the world over, leading to the exclusion of Russians from almost all sports around the world. The motorsport community is no exception, with the FIA having cut its ties with Russian drivers and also terminating its contract with the Russian Grand Prix.
Haas has officially dropped Nikita Mazepin from the team and now F2 team Hitech Grand Prix has followed suit. Mazepin competed in F2 with Hitech, where his father's company, Uralkali, had a majority stake in 2018. Oliver Oakes, the founder of the team, has now regained full control of it.
The team said in a statement:
“Hitech Grand Prix Limited has elected to terminate, with immediate effect, the sponsorship agreement of Uralkali. As with the rest of the motorsport community, the team are shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wish for a swift and peaceful end to the ongoing conflict.”
Mazepin placed fifth in F2 in 2020 before graduating to F1 the following year.
Mercedes boss believes Nikita Mazepin has the skills to drive in F1
Nikita Mazepin might have failed to impress in his debut season in the sport. The driver became an internet meme, with many referring to him as 'Mazespin' instead of 'Mazepin'. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, however, believes the Russian driver certainly has the merit to remain in the sport but understands why he needs to leave following the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The Austrian executive said:
“I’m in two minds because for Nikita [Mazepin] himself he is a guy that merits to be in Formula 1, he can drive. I think as an athlete himself it is difficult but, in a way, to support the robust sanctions that have been implemented, you can understand why it could go in either direction.”
Like most people in the sport, the Mercedes team principal agreed that it was the right move to call off the Russian Grand Prix. F1 is an influential sport with fans around the world and can use its leverage to help Ukrainians in need in these dire times. Wolff said of the ongoing conflict:
“Who would have thought it is possible to have a war in Europe? So we have decided to not race in Russia and I think that Formula 1 has given a robust statement on that, aligned with many other industries in the world.”
F1 is all set to travel to Bahrain for the final round of pre-season testing before the commencement of the 2022 season. Catch the action live from March 10 to 12, where drivers such as Lewis Hamiton and Max Verstappen try and perfect their race setups.
