Should Mazepin drive in Formula One 2021?
- Rami
- Dec 17, 2020
- 3 min read
Updated: Dec 29, 2020
Nikita Mazepin is set to be one of Haas's new drivers for the 2021 season, but the Russian Formula 2 driver has sparked multiple controversies this year leading to many people asking - should he drive in Formula One next year?
TW! - sexual assault is mentioned here - please remember to put your mental health first - do not read if you will be uncomfortable.
You may have heard the name Mazepin for multiple reasons this year but none of which are likely to be due to his two victories in Formula Two this year. Most notably, Mazepin has been called out for his treatment of a female in an Instagram story - in which he grabs her chest after she evidently tries to get him off and even gives him the middle finger. This sparked widespread anger at the driver causing many people to call for his removal from the sport altogether, and rightly so.
The girl from the video - Andrea - had since released a statement saying that the pair were good friends and that it was a joke.
This reply from Andrea seemed to calm some people - saying that if she didn't mind then clearly there was no reason for Mazepin to be removed. However, other's still weren't convinced. There was speculation that the response was fake and paid for and that the pair weren't actually friends. Prior to the incident, they apparently didn't follow each other on social media but since then, have began following each other. Many people were upset still, not just because the response seemed fake, but because sexual assault of any form is not okay. It is not something to be joked about and it made many uncomfortable.
A petition has now been circulating Twitter to call for the removal of Mazepin but as of yet, Haas's only response has been that they are dealing with the matter privately, however to many fans it seems as though he is still driving next year. The petition link is at the end of the blog post, should you want to sign it.
Recently, on Andrea's instagram, during a Q&A, she posted some questionable answers which has lead to people to believe she is hurt and not okay with Mazepin's actions.
These posts and answers suggest that Andrea is in-fact not okay with the situation and seems to imply the story she posted saying everything was fine, is not. The next point of action should be to make sure that Andrea has a good support network and that she is doing okay. Sexual Assault of any form is not a joke and she could be hurting.
This is not the only thing Mazepin has done to warrant a negative response from people on social media. Earlier this year, he posted an instagram story of him driving at very high speeds whilst recording himself. It was extremely dangerous and sparked outrage - not only does Mazepin drive for a living and therefore should set good examples, but also he was endangering the lives of others on the road with him. He also posted a controversial story also on Instagram talking about COVID-19.
All of these controversies make a very convincing argument as to why Mazepin should not drive and I agree. After the call for the removal for 'Grid Girls' - which helped girls to not be sexualised in this sport, should Formula One be willing to ignore sexual assault by one of their own drivers? The answer is no, and I hope to see some development in the right direction soon in the future.
It has been speculated that Mazepin will not get removed due to the money he brings Haas but it is important to remember - money is not more important than someone's wellbeing and should never be.
Petition to remove Mazepin: https://www.change.org/p/fia-remove-nikita-mazepin-from-formula-1?recruiter=878682889&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=psf_combo_share_abi&utm_term=psf_combo_share_initial&recruited_by_id=8fa07b60-62fc-11e8-a14f-4d4751579971
Remember, if you have been affected by the topics in this post to reach out and get help. Here are some useful links. Reach out and heal. I wish you well.
Samaritans: https://www.samaritans.org/
- Formula Rami
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