Mazepin may not be able to race in F1 under Russian flag?
Jan.29 - Nikita Mazepin may not be able to race under the Russian flag in Formula 1 this year.
Recently, Nikolay Gryazin had to contest the Monte Carlo rally as a 'neutral athlete', following the world anti-doping agency's decision to ban Russia from international competition over a widespread cheating scheme.
Russian F1 pundit Alexey Popov thinks Haas rookie Mazepin may be similarly affected.
"There is a solution," the Match TV commentator said. "In many sports now they compete under the flag of the national federation - in this case, it would be the Russian Automobile Federation.
"As for the anthem, we'll see, but you'd have to be a strong optimist to imagine him winning at Haas in the first year. But the flag is everywhere - over the circuit, over the garages, on the overalls.
"It wouldn't be very pleasant to be deprived of that," Popov added.
There has also been speculation that Formula 1 will have to rename the Russian GP, instead calling it the Krasnodar or Sochi GP.
"The main factor here is that it is commercial," Popov insisted. "The contract was signed long before this story so there is no right to alter that now."
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I honestly think tis is BS. There are certain sports where doping happens frequently. Racing is not one of those. I do not think Mazepin should be punished any way for things outside of his control. He is likely to get in enough trouble all on his own.
Danel Kyvat was not penalized for being a Russian altho he would not bend down to Hamilton so was bound to be sacked; Mazepin will probably not have the same pride in being Russian.
What!?!? Bow down to Sir Hamilton is an idiotic supposition. The contestants in F1 don't have to bow when clearly, Ray Charles & Stevie Wonder even can see, they straight up lose. Get off of Broke Back mountain, 'cause it's OK.
I don't think this meant bow down to LH obviously but that he refused to take a knee, quite rightly so, despite LH trying to make all the drivers do so. It's obviously not why he's no longer in F1 either but because RB wanted a Japanese driver in the AT seat
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