Haas Formula One team condemn Russian driver Nikita Mazepin after ‘abhorrent’ video
Russian F1 driver Nikita Mazepin apologises after he posted ‘abhorrent’ Instagram video of himself groping a woman’s breast in back seat of a car
- Haas F1 have condemned a video posted by incoming driver Nikita Mazepin
- The Russian, 21, is set to join the American team next year after racing in F2
- He posted a video on his Instagram account in which he appeared to inappropriately touch a woman in the back seat of a car
- The woman appeared to reject his advance and raised her middle finger
- Mazepin has since removed the video and apologised for posting it
- The woman involved said she posted the video and it was intended as a joke
A Russian F1 driver has apologised after he posted an Instagram video of himself groping a young woman’s breasts in the back seat of a sports car.
Nikita Mazepin, 21, who will race for Haas alongside Mick Schumacher next season, posted the footage during a night out in the United Arab Emirates.
The American motor racing team condemned Mazepin as ‘abhorrent’ in a tweet today but said that they would be dealing with the matter internally.
The video has since been deleted and the model, Andrea D’Ival, has downplayed it as ‘silly joking,’ adding that the Russian billionaire’s son is a ‘really good person and he would never do anything to hurt or humiliate me.’
Ms D’Ival appeared to push Mazepin away from her in the footage as he grabbed her chest, raising her middle finger at the camera. He captioned the video: ‘She’s the best.’
Haas says it does not condone the behaviour of Nikita Mazepin, who will race for them next season, after he appeared to inappropriately touch a woman in the back seat of a car
In the Instagram stories clip, Mazepin reaches and appears to touch the woman sat in the back seat in an inappropriate way
The clip shows the woman appearing to respond by raising her middle finger at the camera
In a statement Mazepin’s team wrote: ‘Haas F1 Team does not condone the behaviour of Nikita Mazepin in the video recently posted on his social media.
‘Additionally, the very fact that the video was posted on social media is also abhorrent to Haas F1 Team.
‘The matter is being dealt with internally and no further comment shall be made at this time.’
Mazepin also issued a statement expressing his regret.
He said: ‘I would like to apologise for my recent actions, both in terms of my own inappropriate behaviour, and the fact that it was posted on to social media.
‘I am sorry for the offence I have rightly caused and to the embarrassment I have brought to Haas F1 Team.
‘I have to hold myself to a higher standard as a Formula One driver and I acknowledge I have let myself and many people down. I promise I will learn from this.’
Mazepin, seen driving in Formula 2 this year, apologised for his actions and for posting a video on his Instagram account
Ms D’Ival also provided her own statement on her Instagram Stories: ‘Hey guys, I just wanted to let you know that Nikita and I have been friends for a long time and nothing in the video was meant seriously.
‘We trust each other and it’s just been fun between the two of us. I posted the video as a joke in his story. I’m really sorry.
‘I give my word that he is a really good person and that he would never do anything that would hurt or humiliate me.’
Mazepin, the son of billionaire businessman Dmitry Mazepin, was only announced as an F1 driver for 2021 last week. He will race alongside Formula Two champion Mick Schumacher at Haas next year.
