Steiner on Mazepin scandal: ‘We’re not letting him get away with it’

His career in Formula 1 has yet to begin, but Nikita Mazepin has already caused a lot of commotion due to videos he posted on social media last month. Gunether Steiner has insisted the team are and will continue to educate him.

Chance to learn from it

Guenther Steiner, Mazepin's team boss at Haas, has so far remained fairly flat about his new pupil. In his column for The Race he went a little further into it. "He did something he shouldn't have done. He’s apologised and he knows it was wrong, and now we need to work on it to give him the best opportunity to learn from this, concentrate on his racing and ensure he doesn’t do it anymore.”

Taking responsibility

According to Steiner, Mazepin has taken responsibility. "Which for me was very important. I always say if you know what you did wrong you can do better. If you are in denial, then it doesn’t work." Furthermore, Steiner doesn't want to say too many words about it. "I’m not the type of guy who kicks in the face someone who’s on their knees - that’s not right. We are not saying that this was OK and letting him get away with it. We are educating him and will keep on educating him for his future."

Consequences for Mazepin

However, Steiner did emphasize that if Mazepin goes wrong again, there will be consequences. "We have put things in place that will help him to get better and make sure this doesn’t happen again; not to make the same mistake again, because this was a clear mistake.” However, Steiner leaves out what exactly has been and is being done. "I don’t want to disclose that, but the matter is not done and dusted.”