Netflix reveal teaser trailer for Drive to Survive season four
F1 news and build-up to Bahrain testing as Nikita Mazepin gives a press conference where he slams Hass for sacking him ahead of the 2022 season, saying “I didn’t deserve it”.
Haas took the decision to terminate the contracts of Mazepin and title sponsor Uralkali in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, despite the FIA ruling that the 23-year-old would be allowed to continue racing under a neutral flag. Mazepin’s father, Dmitry, a Russian oligarch who is the majority shareholder in chemical company Uralchem and Uralkali, was pictured with Vladimir Putin as recently as in January.
Mazepin did have some supporters within F1 however, with the Russian saying new Mercedes driver George Russell was among those to reach out and offer sympathy.
It comes as preparations step up ahead of the start of Bahrain testing on Thursday, with the opening Grand Prix of the season almost a week away. It has been claimed that Lewis Hamilton “wants to destroy” Max Verstappen after he was “robbed” of a record-breaking eighth championship title last season, and the 37-year-old will continue to fine-tune his preparation in the Mercedes.
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1646851560Toto Wolff reveals what he hates about Drive to Survive
Toto Wolff has revealed that he does not like the access to Formula given to prominent Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’, and claimed the makers of the popular documentary “create a spin to the narrative”.
The series, first launched in 2019, has offered fans an unrivalled insight into the inner workings and personalities of Formula 1 and has been credited with a key role in the sport’s resurgent popularity, particularly in the USA.
The fourth season will cover the 2021 F1 season and the title rivalry between Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.
But Wolff, team principal at the German team, is surprised at the freedom granted to the makers of the documentary around the sport, describing it as “scary”.
Luke Baker9 March 2022 18:46
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Mazepin does not ‘trust’ Haas and rules out return
Nikita Mazepin has ruled out returning to Haas in the future and has said he does not “trust” the team.
Mazepin has been cut by Haas in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the driver says he would not go back even after the crisis is resolved.
“I do not want to be at a team that doesn’t want me,” he said. “Formula One is a dangerous sport and you have to rely on the team you are working with. It is a question of safety, and it is fair to say I don’t have that trust in them.
“It is good to keep all (legal) options open. There was no legal reason that could enable the team to terminate my contract. I was very disappointed with the way it was handled. I was told if the FIA allowed me to compete on their rules, and I agreed to them, there would be no actions to remove me from the seat.
“I have not heard from the team since it happened and I learnt about the firing of me the same time it was released to the press.
Nikita Mazepin was sacked by Haas on Saturday
(PA Wire)
Luke Baker9 March 2022 18:41
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F1 testing dates 2022: What time are drivers out on track in Bahrain?
F1 testing 2022 heads to Bahrain as final preparations for the new season, which begins on March 18, take place on the track that will also host the first grand prix of the new campaign.
Three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit from March 10-12 will allow teams to fine-tune their cars and build on the progress they made, or perhaps solve the problems they encountered, during the first phase of testing in Barcelona last month.
Excitement is growing with a little over a week until the season itself gets underway – not to mention the latest season of Netflix’s Drive to Survive hitting the airwaves on March 11 – but first, here are the times and schedule for the F1 teams and drivers in Bahrain.
Luke Baker9 March 2022 18:16
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Haas confirm signing of Magnussen to replace Mazepin
Haas have announced that Kevin Magnussen will return to the team to drive alongside Mick Schumacher for the 2022 season.
Magnussen, a veteran of the sport who has made 119 starts in his F1 career, previously spent four years at Haas after stints at both McLaren and Renault.
Pietro Fittipaldi, who had been touted to replace Nikita Mazepin, will remain the team’s test and reserve driver.
“I was obviously very surprised but equally very excited to receive the call from Haas F1 Team,” said Magnussen. “I was looking in a different direction regarding my commitments for 2022 but the opportunity to return to compete in Formula 1, and with a team I know extremely well, was simply too appealing. I really have to say thank you to both Peugeot and Chip Ganassi Racing for releasing me promptly – both are great organizations.
“Naturally, I also want to thank Gene Haas and Guenther Steiner for the chance to resume my Formula 1 career – I know just how competitive they both are and how keen they are to return to competing week in and week out. We’ve enjoyed a solid relationship and our positive association remained even when I left at the end of 2020. I’ve been briefed as much as possible on the development of the VF-22 and the potential in the package. There’s work to do but I’m excited to be a part of it. I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of a Formula 1 car in Bahrain.”
Tom Kershaw9 March 2022 17:59
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Mercedes hold no remorse over Verstappen’s Silverstone crash
Toto Wolff has said that Mercedes feel no “remorse” over the crash that ended Max Verstappen’s 2021 British Grand Prix on the opening lap of the race last July.
“There wasn’t a lot of feeling of remorse on our side, because Lewis has given up corners much more often before where he shouldn’t have,” Wolff explained to Sky Sports.
“If you’re sitting in the hospital shaken by a big impact, you’re not going to understand that the other team is cheering for their driver.
“But it was [Lewis Hamilton’s] home race, a massive swing to our advantage in terms of points, and we knew that Max was OK.”
Luke Baker9 March 2022 17:47
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Wolff ‘in two minds’ about Mazepin decision
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has said he is “in two minds” about Haas’ decision to cut ties with Nikita Mazepin.
Wolff says he can “understand why” the team felt they should not continue to contract Mazepin, but admits it is “difficult” for the driver.
“I’m in two minds because for Nikita himself he is a guy that merits to be in Formula 1, he can drive,” the Mercedes boss told BloombergTV.
“You can see that some of the sports’ leagues have decided to allow Russian athletes to compete and others have been stronger in denying them access.
“I think as an athlete it is a difficult but to support the robust sanctions you can understand why.”
Luke Baker9 March 2022 17:31
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Uralkali demands refund from Haas after Mazepin dropped
The axed Russian sponsor of F1 team Haas has demanded a full refund and threatened legal action after they and driver Nikita Mazepin were dropped ahead of the 2022 season.
In a statement, Uralkali criticised the decision to end the sponsorship deal due to the invasion of Ukraine and confirmed that the funds would be donated to a foundation set up by Mazepin to support athletes who are unable to compete in their sport because of “political reasons”.
Mazepin, who announced at a press conference on Wednesday that his foundation would be called ‘We Compete As One’, was cut by Haas even after the FIA ruled that the 23-year-old would be allowed to continue racing under a neutral flag. Other sports bodies such as Fifa and the International Olympic Committee have banned Russian athletes from competing in international events.
Uralkali released a statement shortly before Mazepin’s press conference in which they said Haas’ decision was “unreasonable” as they believe sport “should always be free of politics and pressure from external factors.”
Luke Baker9 March 2022 17:17
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Mazepin opens up about F1 exit and slams Haas decision to sack him
Nikita Mazepin has said his ‘We Compete As One’ foundation would offer financial support to athletes who are unable to compete in top-level sport because of their nationality. Sporting organisations such as Fifa and the International Olympic Committee have banned Russian athletes from competing in international events due to the ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
The Russian said athletes are being unfairly punished, adding: “The decision from Haas was not based either on any directive from the sport’s governing body authority, or dictated by any sanctions that were placed against either me or my father, or his company. And, of course, I don’t feel this is fair.
“But there is something more important here. I ask the question, is there no place at all for neutrality in sports? Does an athlete have a right not to just an opinion, but to keep the opinion out of the public space? Should an athlete be punished for that? And do we want the sports to become just another public square for protests and political debate?”
Mazepin added: “We all know that the career of an athlete is a short one, and that it requires years of intense sacrifice to perform at the highest level. When that final reward is taken away, it is devastating. And no one is thinking what happens next to these athletes. I will be addressing this.”
Uralkali released a statement shortly before Mazepin’s press conference in which they said Haas’ decision was “unreasonable” as they believe sport “should always be free of politics and pressure from external factors.”
Luke Baker9 March 2022 17:04
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Mazepin reveals messages of support
Nikita Mazepin revealed four F1 drivers, including George Russell, sent him a message of support after the Russian driver was dropped by Haas ahead of the 2022 season.
Mazepin said he had not been in contact with Haas or former teammate Mick Schumacher since the decision, but revealed: “I appreciated the small number of drivers who expressed their support for me.
“Sergio (Perez), Valtteri (Bottas), Charles (Leclerc) and George (Russell) all contacted me. They know how important the situation is, and they showed their support after I lost the opportunity to compete.
“The messages were nothing political but just on a personal level – to keep my head up because athletes have been broken and lives have been destroyed after a decision like that.”
Jamie Braidwood9 March 2022 16:22
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Hamilton ‘wants to destroy’ Verstappen this season
Lewis Hamilton “wants to destroy” Max Verstappen this season after he was “robbed” of the title last season.
That’s according to former F1 driver Anthony Davidson, who told Sky Sports that a fired-up Hamilton is going to be “hard to beat” this season.
Hamilton announced after returning to Mercedes last month, “If you think what you saw at the end of last year was my best, wait until you see this year.”
And Davidson said: “When Lewis Hamilton comes out with a sentence like that, you have to take notice. There will be nothing more than Lewis wants from this season than to destroy Max Verstappen.
“Let’s not beat around a bush, he feels absolutely robbed as to what happened last year in Abu Dhabi, he wants to come out with a dominant car and he doesn’t even want to see Max on track, I’m sure.
“He just wants to show him a clean pair of heels, disappear off into the distance and win his eighth world championship.”
Jamie Braidwood9 March 2022 15:59
https://www.independent.co.uk/f1/f1-testing-bahrain-2022-hamilton-verstappen-b2031733.html
