Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin was noticed within the F1 paddock throughout the last day of pre-season testing in Bahrain.
The shock return of Mazepin, whose chemical large firm Uralkali briefly sponsored the Haas F1 workforce till its contract was terminated on account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, triggered a stir on Friday.
Mazepin, the daddy of former F1 driver Nikita, made his first look within the paddock since Uralkali’s title sponsorship with Haas ended, however query marks surrounded why he was there.
Whereas Nikita Mazepin is banned from racing underneath the Russian flag, neither he or his father have been barred from getting into the F1 paddock so long as they’ve the credentials required.
However in keeping with ESPN, no workforce or F1 itself might verify who had been chargeable for granting Mazepin with paddock entry.
Alpine, Mercedes and Haas all stated that the paddock move had not come from them, ESPN report.
“Dmitry was on a private go to. He has remained buddies with many individuals within the Formulation 1 household and was comfortable to see them in Bahrain,” A consultant for Mazepin instructed ESPN.
Mazepin has hyperlinks to each the Mercedes and Haas groups, in addition to Alpine. He’s understood to have visited the hospitality amenities at Mercedes, in addition to paying a go to to Alpine.
Alpine workforce principal Oliver Oakes’ Hitech Grand Prix workforce was sponsored by Mazepin’s Uralkali agency, and was one the groups his son drove for as he got here up by the junior classes.
“I’ve stated hey to him, I have never met him,” Oakes is quoted as saying by ESPN when requested about Mazepin’s presence within the F1 paddock.
“Sure, he is a pal of mine, sure I was along with him in Hitech. He was right here catching up with one other pal of his. It is good to see him. I am not going to enter that, the world’s a loopy place”.
Mazepin’s shock look additionally comes amid the backdrop of hypothesis that the Alpine F1 workforce could also be bought, one thing Renault chief govt Luca de Meo has strenuously denied.
RacingNews365 report that Mazepin entered the paddock by way of a “rotational move”, with prior visitor approval not required.
No file of any software reportedly exists on F1’s techniques.
