Gunther Steiner admits he is “sorry” he had to oust Russian driver Nikita Mazepin from the Haas team. The Uralkali-backed 23-year-old, who is not ruling out legal action, has been replaced for 2022 by the immediately-impressive former team driver Kevin Magnussen. Team boss Steiner admits the last couple of weeks have been “exhausting and tedious”. Steiner confirmed Mazepin’s claim that he didn’t actually speak with Mazepin directly as he informed him that he would not be racing in 2022. “It’s a very complex subject, even for legal experts,” Steiner insists. As for whether he sees Mazepin as an innocent victim of the affair, Steiner admits that is “difficult to say”.

Follow MotorMouth on social media:

• 
• 
• 
•