Button criticises Mazepin's attitude: ‘You're in the wrong sport then’

Nikita Mazepin has been the centre of criticism even before the start of the season and after the Dutch Grand Prix that hasn't lessened. After both the race and qualifying, the Russian was in the news again. According to Jenson Button this is enough.

Mazepin in the wrong sport

Things first went wrong at Zandvoort on Saturday, when he got into an argument with his team mate Mick Schumacher and got in the way of Sebastian Vettel's fast lap. On Sunday, the Russian then almost drove Schumacher into the wall when the German tried to overtake him. According to Button, the action on Sunday was a result of the incident on Saturday.

"That plays a part in that. It shouldn't affect how you drive on Sunday," Button opined on Motorsport-Total.com. "And if it does, you're in the wrong sport. Formula One is a dangerous sport. If he wants to have a long career in Formula 1, he needs to change his attitude. He is way too aggressive. You can't react like that in a situation like that."

Lack of self-criticism

What also annoys Button is Mazepin's lack of self-criticism, for example in interviews afterwards. "A team makes mistakes. We all make mistakes. Even your teammate. But it's about how you react to those mistakes. That's what makes you the person and the racer you are."

"You just have to talk something like that out," Button continued. "Discuss the problems and then come to the track the next day and it should be a new day, looking forward. I don't think he was thinking like that. He just did everything he could to keep his teammate behind him."