Haas to decide on Nikita Mazepin, Uralkali next week

BARCELONA, Spain — The future of Russian driver Nikita Mazepin at the Haas Formula One team is in doubt after the team confirmed it would make a decision on its Uralkali sponsorship deal, which funds Mazepin’s position at the team, next week.

Haas took part in preseason testing with a plain white car on Friday after dropping Russian company Uralkali’s branding and logo from its car following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.

On Friday, F1 cancelled September’s Russian Grand Prix.

Russian troops continued their advance into Ukraine on Friday, which has caused widespread condemnation and sanctions from world leaders.

Uralkali founder Dmitry Mazepin, the father of Nikita, was one of the business leaders who met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin in Moscow on Thursday to discuss the sanctions placed on the country.

When asked on Nikita Mazepin’s status during a Friday media call, Haas team boss Guenther Steiner said: “It needs to be resolved.

“Not everything depends from us here what is happening. There’s governments involved, I have no power over them, and we also need to see how the situation develops in Ukraine.”

Shortly after Steiner spoke to the media on Friday, Mazepin tweeted: “To my fans and followers — it’s a difficult time and I am not in control over a lot of what is being said and done.

“I’m choosing to focus on what I CAN control by working hard and doing my best for @HaasF1Team.

“My deepest thanks for your understanding and support.”

Steiner said the team had not been in touch with Michael Andretti at any point on Thursday. Andretti is looking to join F1 with his own team in 2024 but many have suggested he might be a viable replacement for Uralkali if Haas needed to find a new title partner for this season.

He also said the team has not been contacted by the U.S. government about the…