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Haas ends Russian driver Nikita Mazepin's F1 contract over Ukraine invasion

Nikita Mazepin will not race in F1 in 2022. (Reuters: Anton Vaganov)

Formula 1 team Haas has terminated the contract of its major sponsor and one of its drivers in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Haas ended its partnership with Russian fertiliser company Uralkali and driver Nikita Mazepin.

Uralkali signage was removed from the Haas car during pre-season testing last weekend in Barcelona.

Mazepin's father, Dmitry, is a major shareholder in Uralkali, which has heavily backed the young Russian's F1 ambitions.

"As with the rest of the Formula 1 community, the team is shocked and saddened by the invasion of Ukraine and wishes for a swift and peaceful end to the conflict," Haas said in a statement.

The future of Mazepin and Uralkali was thrown into doubt following the Ukraine invasion.

While world motorsport's governing body, the FIA, allowed Russian and Belarusian drivers to compete under neutral flags, Motorsport UK banned drivers and teams from both countries.

This would have ruled Mazepin out of July's British Grand Prix at Silverstone, one of the sport's premier races.

Mazepin's future seemed sealed a day earlier, when Haas posted an image on social media of reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi driving its car, promoting next weekend's final pre-season test in Bahrain.

F1 announced this week it had terminated its contract with the Russian Grand Prix promoter.

"It means that Russia will no longer have a race in the future," F1 said in a statement.

The first race of the new F1 season will be held in Bahrain on March 20.

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