Ex-Haas driver Nikita Masepin is disappointed after his sacking and is keeping his legal options open – He had hoped for more support from the team
At a press conference in Moscow this Wednesday, Nikita Masepin spoke at length for the first time about his Formula One exit from Haas, which he says he learned about from a team press release.
“Ever since I left Barcelona, I’ve been worried about my future,” Masepin recalled of the pre-season test in Spain, where he was still behind the wheel of the VF-21 on the last of three days of testing. At that point, Haas had already removed the branding of Russian sponsor Uralkali from the car.
Then, last Friday, the team announced that it was parting ways with both Masepin and Uralkali in light of the current situation in Ukraine. According to the 23-year-old, the end came as a surprise. He had hoped to be able to continue competing in Formula 1 under certain conditions.
Masepin: I trusted Günther Steiner
“I was told that if the FIA or the governing body allows me to race according to their rules and I have agreed to them, no action will be taken to remove me from my seat because there is no legal obligation or reason to do so,” the Russian explained on Wednesday.
He added that he trusted team boss Günther Steiner: “In my previous relationships with Günther, which I considered very good and respected him a lot as a person, I was used to believing his words 101 per cent: he is a team boss and when he says something, it usually or always happens. “
Since Barcelona, however, he said he had had no contact with Steiner and had heard no information from the team. “I only found out about my dismissal when it had already been leaked to the press,” Masepin expressed his disappointment.
Masepin wanted to comply with FIA regulations
He had been prepared to sign a document from the FIA allowing Russian drivers to continue competing under a neutral flag. He had also received a second letter from the FIA on the matter and was still thinking about it when he learned that the team had given him notice.
“I think that I am still a young man at the age of 23 and I was not ready for this. I didn’t get any indication that would have told me that they had made this decision and that it was going to take effect in 15 minutes. I found out at the same time as everyone else.”
Uralkali has already announced that it will take legal action if necessary to recover sponsorship money already paid for 2022. Masepin is also not ruling out a possible lawsuit over the loss of his cockpit, but makes it clear that he would be uncomfortable returning to Haas.
Legal action against Haas an option
“I think Formula 1 is a unique sport because it’s very much about team building,” said the 23-year-old, “and that chemistry you have with your colleagues to get the car into a position where it can work well. So I was very disappointed with the way it was handled. “
While he is keeping all legal options open after losing his contract with the Haas team. But he does not want to return to a place “that doesn’t want me”. Especially as he had also lost the necessary trust in the team.
“Formula 1 is a dangerous sport. You have to rely on your team and believe in them. It’s also a question of safety,” Masepin explains. “And I think it’s fair to say that I don’t have that confidence in them. I feel like I should have had more support from the team.”
“I was very relieved that the FIA allowed the athletes to start with neutral status. I was honestly and seriously hoping that I would be able to start. But on 5 March at 11:45 Moscow time, everything changed. I lost my dream that I had spent 18 years of my life working towards.”