Crusaders glory, Kiwi Supercar driver takes 1st place and all the weekend’s results in 90 seconds. Video / NZ Herald
The haters keep coming for Nikita Mazepin.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was heard complaining about the Haas driver over the radio to F1 race director Michael Masi during the Spanish Grand Prix, fuelling a conspiracy that Mazepin is being painted as the sport's biggest villain.
"Michael, blue flags," Wolff was heard saying as he fretted over Lewis Hamilton's lead, worrying whether his star driver would be held up behind a slow Haas. "Michael, this guy (Mazepin) makes us lose the position."
Hamilton went on to win, beating Red Bull's Max Verstappen for the third time in four races this season, but the fact Wolff's message was broadcast at all came as a shock to race fans tuning in.
Team bosses' correspondence with the race director is never aired, but that all changed in Barcelona. Masi said he "rarely" hears from Wolff during a race, and added the surprise transmission was all part of a pre-arranged plan.
"It actually came about through a discussion at an F1 Commission meeting last year so they (the fans) could hear, as part of the broadcast, the communications between the pit wall and the teams," Masi said.
"The F1 Group, through their broadcast, has been doing some trials in the background … and all the teams were advised and this weekend's the first time it's gone live to air."
However, ex-F1 star Jolyon Palmer thinks there is more here than meets the eye, suggesting the reason for the break in tradition may have something to do with establishing Mazepin as F1's biggest villain.
"Is it unusual (that Wolff spoke to Masi)? Or is it unusual that we heard it? That's the question," Palmer told the Chequered Flag podcast.
"It's interesting that was broadcast. I've never heard it in my life, the FIA to team principal conversations broadcast and that has obviously been chosen to run.
"We know the narrative against Mazepin, comes in with huge backing, not the most popular driver and is not doing well, and it just helped to pump that narrative a little bit more that that was broadcast. I bet that conversations happens all the time between team principals and race director through the grand prix."
Toto Wolff wasn't happy with Nikita Mazepin. Photos / Photosport
Mazepin's reputation preceded him before he'd even arrived in the big time. He was one penalty point short of being banned for a race during his F2 campaign last year and while driving in F3 in 2016, left rival driver Callum Ilott with a black eye and a swollen jaw after attacking him at the end of a race.
Mazepin gave Haas headaches last year when footage of him groping a woman's breasts emerged, and things didn't get any better when he finally made it onto the track. The 22-year-old spun out in his first ever lap in F1 at the Bahrain GP, and the moniker of "Mazespin" held firm when he spun during qualifying at Imola.
Stewards slapped Mazepin with a five-second time penalty and Super Licence penalty point in Portugal when he ignored blue flags to get out of the way, almost colliding with Red Bull's Sergio Perez as the Mexican tried to overtake while in the process of lapping his Russian competitor.
Mazepin then copped a three-place grid penalty and another penalty point for blocking Daniel Ricciardo's McLaren teammate Lando Norris during qualifying in Barcelona, before finishing the main event in 19th.
It's no secret a struggling Haas outfit was in need of cash heading into 2021 if it stood any chance of matching it with the other teams on the grid. Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen were punted, in favour of Mick Schumacher — son of F1 legend Michael — and Mazepin.
There were rumours from the outset Mazepin was being chosen for his family's healthy bank balance, rather than his talent behind the wheel. His dad, Russian oligarch Dmitry Mazepin, reportedly has a net worth nearing $2 billion and Haas boss Gunther Steiner acknowledged the elephant in the room when announcing Nikita's promotion last year.
"Nikita Mazepin is one of the talented drivers in Formula 2 this year and his father has got a very successful company as well, which he may want to promote," Steiner said.
