A ban on Russian athletes competing in world championship events means that Haas rookie, Nikita Mazepin will race under a neutral flag.

Following the revelation of state-sponsored doping at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, late last year the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) passed the ban recommended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

However, whereas WADA had called for a four-year ban, CAS reduced this to two.

As a result, when (if) the Olympics go ahead this year, Russia will not be represented, though a number of Russian athletes have opted to compete under a neutral flag.

This week, the Russian Automobile Federation admitted that the CAS ruling will apply to Russian drivers competing in motorsport world championships, including F1, WEC and WRC, though not F1 which is not a world championship.

Though they cannot mention the word 'Russia' or show the Russian flag, drivers can still use the colours - red, white and blue - that constitute their national flag.

Should the Russian Grand Prix go ahead, the national anthem will not be played before the race or even - in the very unlikely event - should Mazepin win.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Max Noble, 06/02/2021 23:25

"Dodged a bullet on that one! Wow. I bet Lance Armstrong is relieved such an oppressive punishment was not sent his way. How is Mazepin ever going to come back after this...? "

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2. Posted by C5, 06/02/2021 20:05

"In the very unlikely event... That's funny!

Anyone know what the current odds for a Haas race win in 2021 are?

I've tried looking, but I can only find championship odds, which unsurprisingly are almost 1:infinite (while odds of Mercedes winning the constructors are - equally unsurprisingly - negative at around 1:-500). "

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3. Posted by C5, 06/02/2021 19:57

"I'm still holding out hope the Russia and Saudi events will go the same way as the Chinese and be cancelled. Hopefully permanently. Those are not governments decent people (not that F1 have ever overflowed with those ;-) should be involved with."

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4. Posted by Wokingchap, 06/02/2021 11:26

"I'd better not write my desired comment on this, i may get poisoned !"

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Mazepin to race under neutral flag

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