Haas taking Mazepin video incident "very seriously"
Haas Formula 1 chief Gunther Steiner says the team is taking the recent incident with Nikita Mazepin "very seriously", but has asked for privacy as it addresses the matter.

A video emerged earlier this week showing 2021 Haas F1 driver Mazepin groping a woman's chest in the back of the car after it was uploaded to his Instagram account.
Although it was quickly deleted, it was captured and shared widely on social media on Wednesday, prompting both Haas and Mazepin to issue statements.
Read Also:
Mazepin moved to "apologise for my recent actions", while Haas confirmed it would be dealing with the matter internally, calling the Russian driver's actions "abhorrent".
Speaking on Thursday ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Haas F1 boss Steiner stressed the team was taking the matter incredibly seriously.
"We take it very seriously, as you saw with what we sent out [in the statement]," Steiner told Motorsport.com in an interview on Thursday.
"I just want to reinforce that, that we will deal with it.
"I'm not going into detail on what we'll do and how we'll do it, but we take it seriously, and we will work to sort this out, what happened. Nothing more to say."
It marked the latest incident involving Mazepin, whose final appearance in F2 last weekend in Bahrain saw him rack up penalties for two incidents, leaving him one point short of a race ban.
Mazepin was also banned for a European Formula 3 race in 2016 after punching Callum Ilott, who was left with cuts and swelling to his jaw.
Asked if Haas needed to talk to Mazepin about his general conduct, Steiner replied: "That is part of it, what we're going to speak to him about privately.
"I don't want to go public on how we are doing this. I just go back, I don't want to comment any more.
"I guess I ask people to respect that privacy, because we treat it seriously. But we will deal with it."
F1 and the FIA issued a joint statement on Thursday supporting Haas in condemning Mazepin's actions, but said the team would be handling the matter internally.
"The ethical principles and diverse and inclusive culture of our sport are of the utmost importance to the FIA and Formula 1," the statement added.
Mazepin is due to appear at next week's young driver test in Abu Dhabi as preparation for his F1 debut in 2021 with Haas, when he is due to partner Mick Schumacher.
Related video

Previous article
Sainz: No explanation given for Abu Dhabi test snub
Next article
Leclerc: “I’ll choose my fights better” after Verstappen clash

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Drivers | Nikita Mazepin |
Teams | Haas F1 Team |
Author | Luke Smith |
Haas taking Mazepin video incident "very seriously"
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.
Why Verstappen isn't interested in the hype game
In a pre-season where Red Bull has been unusually quiet, Max Verstappen has also been guarded about the team's fortunes in 2021. Even after trying the RB16B for the first time at Silverstone, the Dutchman was careful to manage expectations
The pros and cons of F1's 2021 rule changes
In the strategy for grand prix racing's future, 2021 represents a significant step towards the goal of closer racing and a more level playing field. That's the theory behind the latest raft of changes, but will they have the desired effect?