Steiner: 'We are taking this very seriously!'

Future Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin did not show his best side earlier this week. He inappropriately touched someone and the video was posted on social media. Shortly after, the Russian apologised, but the harm had already been done. Several journalists have spoken out against Mazepin and Haas issued a statement saying that he would deal with it internally. Steiner will come back to this now, if asked, and says he takes it very seriously.

Haas will deal with the situation

Haas' statement in response to Mazepin's behaviour was brief and forceful. They were to deal with it internally, but logically Haas team boss Guenther Steiner was asked to do so in Abu Dhabi, who indicated that he took the incident "very seriously". At the same time, Motorsport.com also asks for privacy.

"We take it very seriously, as you saw with what we sent out. 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."

Bad history

Steiner says: "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."

It is not clear whether Haas will make a statement at a later stage depending on the private conversation, nor what steps, if any, will be taken against the Russian.