Russia’s attack on the F1 depot is also worrying.
Nikita Mazepin walked out of a completely white Haas car. AOP
The third and final day of the F1 test was cloudy in Montmeló.
However, the promised rain circled the Catalan motorway from afar, and at 9 a.m. local time was reached.
The biggest news on Friday was about the Haas stable sponsored by the fertilizer company Uralkali. It decided as early as Thursday that the cars would be stripped of the colors of Uralkali’s domestic Russia, but much greater concern is that the funding channel would dry up as part of the economic sanctions of the offensive war.
The stable’s ties to Russia’s leadership are by no means embarrassing because of the Uralkali oligarch Dimitri Mazepin was still president yesterday Vladimir Putin called in the Kremlin.
At the same time, the Yankee stable has to think about its own attitude towards Dimitr’s son, Haas-kuski Nikita to Mazepen.
Namely, the Russian driver needs a visa for every GP race except Baku, São Paulo and Abu Dhabi. And it is still unclear whether Uralkali will be able to pay the agreed compensation for Mazepin’s driving position.
– So far, sanctions have not mattered to our business. I should check what to do if Swift (international payment system) goes off. Uralkali is a global company, so I don’t know how it would work, team manager Günther Steiner said.
The Italian confirmed that Mazepin’s position was in no way certain.
– We have to solve it as soon as possible, he said.
On Friday, however, Mazepin was on the track. He was already accustomed to the slowest driver for about seven seconds in Mersun George Russellia slower.
The tests had to be interrupted up to five times because of a red flag, and Alpine, for example, suffered from such a major hydraulic problem that the stable no longer sent the car to the track.
Also Sebastian Vettelin the engine breakdown seemed alarming.
Immediately after the morning tests, F1 sent an official bulletin stating that in the current world situation, it is not possible to drive a Russian GP.
– We follow the events in Ukraine sad and in shock. We hope for a quick and peaceful solution to the situation. It is impossible to hold the Russian Grand Prix in these circumstances, it read.