Haas Racing (officially, Uralkali Haas F1 Team) is the only American team in Formula One, and was founded in 2014 by NASCAR alumnus, Gene Haas. The team has consistently underperformed, routinely coming up last place in the standings and struggling to maintain a reliable car. Haas came dead last in 2021 with zero points, meaning neither driver ever finished within the top ten positions. It’s a shame, especially because Haas has gained a very promising young driver: Mick Schumacher, son of F1 legend Michael Schumacher. Mick excelled in his racing career before entering F1, and was the winner of the 2020 Formula 2 Championship, which is the racing league many F1 drivers are headhunted from.
Mick has faltered since joining Haas, and finished 19th overall in the 2021 driver’s standings. However, Schumacher’s F1 career has just begun. Schumacher maintains a relationship with Scuderia Ferrari, his father’s former team; he’s a reserve driver for them, meaning that he can race for Ferrari if either of their drivers are unable to compete, and he could join Ferrari as early as 2023. Mick’s racing history makes him one to watch out for in the years to come — but his future success won’t be with Haas.
Less patience is usually afforded to Schumacher’s teammate, Russian-born Nikita Mazepin. Dubbed “Mazespin” by fans due to his propensity for losing control of his car, Mazepin also started with Haas in 2021 — but his F1 debut highlighted a particularly egregious example of how far personal wealth will take an F1 driver, which already has a deserved reputation for being a sport only the fabulously wealthy can compete in. Mazepin’s father is a key shareholder in Uralchem, a Russian potash manufacturer which is now a major sponsor of Haas, and given that Mazepin’s racing career before Formula One was never stellar (save for some podium finishes in 2020), it’s clear that Uralchem’s investment came with a condition: Mazepin had to have a seat.
Soon after, in December 2020, Mazepin sparked widespread disgust by posting a video on Instagram that showed him groping a woman in a club. Mazepin was denounced by fans, sportscasters, and his own team — but there were no consequences. Mazepin also has a tendency to race dangerously, taking risks that put all drivers in harm’s way, Mazepin’s recklessness has only soured his reputation further. Look at any forum on race day: if Mazepin crashes, there’s dancing in the streets. Despite what Mazepin’s presence has done to Haas’ tattered public image, he won’t be going anywhere unless Uralchem pulls their sponsorship.
Haas is a team of contradictions. Mick Schumacher has a potentially promising career ahead of him despite his less than captivating F1 debut. Nikita Mazepin, on the other hand, represents every negative aspect of Formula One’s culture. Mazepin assaulted a woman on camera and got away with it; every other complaint about him is just an extra on top of that disgusting fact. Haas needs money to compete, but their new cash flow has come at the cost of their integrity.
Image: AFP
In between horror movie marathons and arthritis-inducing embroidery sessions, Maecyn likes to correct the grammar of unsuspecting journalists. She’s currently pursuing a BA in History and a career in library science, which makes her the official ambassador for cardigan-wearers everywhere.
