Jeremy Clarkson doesn't have a very high opinion of Nikita Mazepin, as was evident from a tweet from him last week. The Russian driver has now received support from an unexpected source. The controversial Rich Energy and owner William Storey are standing up for the Haas F1 driver.
"Nikita Mazepin. You f****** imbecile. Go race in Russia on your own. You'd still lose," Clarkson wrote on his Twitter account. The former Top Gear presenter made it clear in no uncertain terms that he would rather see the Russian Mazepin leave Formula One today than tomorrow. Clarkson's outburst, of course, has everything to do with the Russian invasion.
Storey won't let it happen just like that
Rich Energy was the title sponsor of Haas F1 in 2019 but left suddenly after a big riot. Anno 2022 they are letting themselves be heard again. The beverage brand let it be known via its own Twitter account, "Mazepin is a talented young driver who has done nothing wrong. Jeremy Clarkson demeans himself with such comments. Conflating sport & politics is inherently flawed"
Storey didn't leave it at that, as he gave Clarkson another swipe at him: this time via his account. "The only retard here is a pot-bellied, imbecilic chinless wonder called Jeremy. Seeking populism & picking on a 22 year old merely exhibits his inadequacy. Clarkson is an embarrassment. Mazepin has more talent [than Clarkson], in his little finger."