Banning Russia from sport is ‘unfair’, former F1 driver claims

Former Formula One driver Daniil Kvyat has claimed it is “unfair” to ban Russian athletes and teams from international sport as Nikita Mazepin’s future at Haas remains in the balance.

Mazepin is the only Russian driver on the F1 grid for the 2022 season and his participation in the upcoming campaign is set to be discussed at an extraordinary meeting held by the sport’s governing body on Tuesday.

The meeting follows a significant announcement from the International Olympic Committee, who on Monday recommended international sports federations ban Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from competing in events amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Kvyat, who is Russian, said he was “horrified” by the conflict in Ukraine as he called for peace in a post on social media but the former Red Bull and AlphaTauri driver spoke out against the sanctions that were being placed on Russian athletes and teams by governing bodies.

He said: “I also would like to highlight and address all sports federations across the world including [the] IOC that sport should remain outside politics and disallowing Russian athletes and teams from participating in world competitions is an unfair solution and goes against what sport teaches us in its principle – the unity and peace.

“Who else if not us sports people will help to glue nations together in the upcoming times?”

F1 has cancelled the Russian Grand Prix and says the September race is “impossible” told hold in the current circumstances. Haas, who Mazepin is signed up to race for in 2022, are set to also make a decision on their partnership with title sponsor Uralkali after dropping the Russian company’s branding from its car at pre-season testing last week.

Uralkali are part-owned by Mazepin’s father, the oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, and Haas team principal Guenther Steiner said the future of their partnership, as well as that of Mazepin, is out of his hands.