Formula 1: Nikita Mazepin isn’t out of the woods yet

While Russian drivers are still allowed to compete in Formula 1, that doesn’t necessarily mean that Nikita Mazepin will partake in the upcoming season.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent cancellation of September’s Russian Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom, Ukraine’s motor racing federation called on the FIA to ban all Russian and Belarusian drivers from competing in Formula 1.

This ban would prevent Haas driver Nikita Mazepin from taking part in the upcoming season, but the FIA opted against the ban.

The FIA’s decision differs from the stances of International Olympic Committee (IOC), FIFA and UEFA, as Russian and Belarusian athletes are still allowed to compete, but under a neutral flag.

However, the idea that Mazepin is completely safe for the 2022 season isn’t entirely accurate at this point.

Even before this request from Ukraine’s motor racing federation, there was speculation that Mazepin would not be back with Haas for the 2022 season, given the fact that Uralkali is the title sponsor of the organization. They have served as the title sponsor of the American team since the start of last year.

Uralchem holds a controlling stake in the Russian fertilizer company, and Dmitry Mazepin, Nikita’s father, is the CEO. Dmitry has direct ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin, having met with him in-person just days before of the invasion.

In essence, the Uralkali money involved in this crisis is the same money that is being used to fund the younger Mazepin’s racing career.

Haas reacted almost immediately to the chaos last week, completely removing all Uralkali/Russian branding from their cars and from pretty much everything else having to do with the team ahead of the third and final day of preseason testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday.

And a complete removal of Uralkali from their role as the team’s title sponsor became a legitimate possibility.

Such a removal would inherently include the removal of Mazepin after just one season, opening up the second VF-22 seat alongside second-year driver Mick Schumacher.

Team principal Guenther Steiner noted that there would be several legal obstacles to overcome in regard to the potential removal of Uralkali as title sponsor, but he added that a decision on the company’s future, as well as the future of the 22-year-old Russian, would come at some point this week.

The debacle has left Haas in a challenging situation surrounding a title sponsor for the second time in the last three years, as they also dealt with a bizarre sequence of events during the summer of 2019 during Rich Energy’s first and only (partial) season with the team.

The next preseason test session is scheduled to take place at Bahrain International Circuit from Thursday, March 10 to Saturday, March 12. Bahrain International Circuit is then scheduled to host the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Sunday, March 20.