23/12/2020
NEWS STORY
Haas has this morning issued a brief statement confirming Nikita Mazepin's future with the American outfit.
"Haas F1 Team would like to reaffirm that Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher will form its driver line-up for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship," it read. "As per the team's previous statement regarding the actions of Nikita Mazepin (December 9) – this matter has now been dealt with internally and no further comment shall be made."
According to some sections of the media there was doubt over Mazepin's future with the team following a post to his social media account last month which appeared to show him groping a woman.
In the wake of the post, which was subsequently removed and which the American team itself described as "abhorrent", fans took to social media insisting that Haas drop the Russian driver.
Haas announced that it would investigate the matter internally, which it claims to have done, however the decision not to give any further insight, far less details of any punishment, is certain to cause further comment from fans who claim that Mazepin's actions conflict with the sport's drive to promote various social issues.
However, fans weren't only angered by the post that Haas investigated, pointing to the incidents in the final rounds of the F2 championship that saw the Russian hit with two penalties and various other transgressions including threatening to 'out' an F1 driver.