
The flow of support for Nikita Mazepin has certainly been erratic since the moment he stepped into the world of Formula One. Of course, we’re well aware of the off-track shenanigans that almost cost Mazepin his Haas F1 seat. Hate continued to grow at a rapid pace, with protests and petitions starting to make rounds within the community.
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However, as the season progressed, it seemed like the fans had finally forgiven the Russian, consequently nullifying the hate that was hovering over him. There was also a sense of positivity revolving around his part of the garage after early struggles.
Motor racing – Formula One – Russian Grand Prix – Sochi Autodrom, Sochi, Russia – September 24, 2021 Haas’ Nikita Mazepin arrives at the circuit REUTERS/Anton Vaganov
And the squad somehow managed to sustain it till the very end of the season. But, then arrived the major twist; The conflict between Russia and Ukraine began to heat up, which led to the entire world blacklisting every Russian company and even athletes.
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Hence, it was a double blow for Mazepin; Not only was he a Russian, but his biggest sponsor, Uralkali, was based in Russia as well. Therefore, following an ugly war of words between Uralkali and Haas, the former and their asset, Mazepin, were forced to leave F1 with immediate effect.
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Since then, it has been quite obvious that Mazepin was onto something. He was also adamant about losing the ‘F1 driver’ tag on social media. Well, the result of both these stories is here!
Nikita Mazepin takes on F1 & FIA with ‘We Compete As One’
Let’s start with the social media bio; Mazepin has finally decided not to consider himself a ‘Formula One driver’ and added the word ‘ex’ to it. But, the tweaked bio had more, including a hashtag – #WeCompeteAsOne. Upon researching, it turned out to be an initiative that helps athletes suffer from non-sporting decisions.
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Mazepin wasn’t the only victim when the war broke out between the two countries, as several other Russian athletes, too, had to give up on their sporting careers. Hence, to back such athletes turn up the Mazepin-led association.
“We support athletes who cannot compete due to non-sporting decisions. The foundation has a strong team, groundbreaking ideas, and most importantly athletes who inspire us to find the best solutions and work hard,” he said according to the Turkish Motorsport.
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Overall, Mazepin is certainly not done with the pinnacle of motorsport. So, will his new association eventually come in the way of F1 and cause more drama? Well, only time will tell.
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Did you miss our previous article...
https://formulaone.news/haas/steiner-counters-horner-doomsday-concern