“This issue has now been addressed internally and no further comment will be made,” Haas said of an incident posted in a social media video of Mazepin appearing unabashedly. e inappropriately to the chest of a woman in the back seat of a car
Last updated: 23/12/20 2:13 pm
Haas has reaffirmed that Nikita Mazepin will be driving for them in the Formula 1 2021 season and says they have dealt internally with Russia’s behavior in connection with a video posted on the social media earlier this month.
Mazepin, the 21-year-old Russian driver who has been signed by Haas for next season, was condemned by his new team and apologized after a video posted on his Instagram Stories appeared that he was rubbing inappropriately against a woman’s chest during a car journey.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the team said: “The Haas F1 Team would like to reaffirm that Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher will be creating their driver line for the 2021 FIA World Formula 1 Championship.
“According to the team’s previous statement regarding Nikita Mazepin’s actions (December 9) – this issue has been addressed internally and no further comment will be made.”
In their previous statement, Haas described Mazepin’s behavior as “disrespectful” and said the matter was being dealt with internally. F1 and the FIA issued a joint statement in support of the team’s actions.
The video, which was posted on Mazepin’s Instagram account before being deleted, appeared to show the 21-year-old reaching from the seat of a car passenger and rubbing inappropriately on a woman’s chest. the back seat. The woman responded by moving her hand in response to touching her, before pointing her middle finger at the camera and covering the lens.
In a subsequent statement, Mazepin said he wanted to “apologize for my recent actions both in relation to my own inappropriate behavior and the fact that it has been posted on social media.” and that he had “let me and many people down”.
The Russian is stepping up to F1 next year from the F2 feeding series, where he finished fifth in the 2020 stand.
He will be a team player alongside Mick Schumacher, this year’s F2 competitor.