Schumacher’s racing team is silent
Haas team drives without a Russian sponsor
02/24/2022, 9:10 p.m
Mick Schumacher’s Formula 1 team Haas takes a stance on the war in Ukraine – but remains silent. The US racing team with close ties to Russia will send its car out onto the track in white livery at the end of the test drive.
The American Formula 1 racing team Haas will drive an all-white car on the third and final day of testing at the Barcelona Grand Prix circuit. The team with German pilot Mick Schumacher and Russian driver Nikita Masepin will not be advertising through their main sponsor Uralkali this Friday. The team, which has been struggling economically for a long time, has been competing in the Russian colors for a year now, the mining company bought in as the title sponsor.
Masepin’s father Dmitri is the majority owner of the Russian group. Haas wrote in his message on Thursday evening that there was initially no further comment after coordination with the team partners. At noon, Haas had already canceled team boss Günther Steiner’s participation in a press conference in Barcelona at short notice, without giving any reasons.
The US racing team with its Russian financier is particularly in the spotlight after the escalation caused by Russia’s attack on Ukraine. It was “terrible in many ways,” said Mick Schumacher on the sidelines of the test drives. He did not speak to Nikita Masepin about the crisis itself. The Russian will get into the car as planned on Friday, and Schumacher will complete the test drives for Haas in the afternoon.
The race in Russia is planned for September 25 this year. Before driving in St. Petersburg from 2023, Formula 1 will start again in the former Winter Olympics location Sochi. The racing series is watching the very fluid developments like many others, according to a statement from Formula 1. At the moment there is no further comment on the race planned for September. After the Russian troops marched in, calls for hard and fast consequences were also heard in the world of sport.
Clear announcements were already coming from the paddock. Especially from Sebastian Vettel, who made it clear not to drive in Russia in this situation. “I shouldn’t go, I won’t go,” said Vettel, visibly moved. He was “shocked” by the “terrible” invasion of Ukraine. Worried and “sad” Vettel spoke about the war. “People are killed for stupid reasons,” said the Aston Martin driver, adding that Russia has a “very strange and crazy leadership.” That’s why he doesn’t want to drive in Russia. “My decision has been made.” And world champion Max Verstappen (Red Bull) said: “If a country is at war, it would not be right to drive there.”