Haas announced it had axed Mazepin and terminated its sponsorship deal w🌟ith Uralkali on Saturday morn🌃ing.

The decision c🌠ame after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Uralkali having links to pres♐ident Vladimir Putin. 

Haas decided to run its car in a plain white livery on the final day of the Barcelona test, removing the Russian colourꦗ scheme and Uralkali logos.

Before𒐪 Mazepin spoke to the media on Wednesday, Uralkali released a statement saying it wants “immediate reimbursement” from ღHaas.

Maze✃pin admitted he was “very disappointed” over how Haas handled his dismissal🎀. 

“I was very disappointed at the way it was handled, I have been worried about my future ever since I💟 left Barcelona,” Mazepin 🀅said. “I have been told if the FIA or the governing body allows me to compete on their rules, and I agree to them, there will be no action to remove me from the seat because there is no legal obligation or reason.

“In my previous relations with Guenth🤡er, which I rated a very good one and I respected him as a man, very much so, I have been used to believe 101% in his words, he is a Team Principal and if he says something it normally, always, happens.  But I have not heard any information f꧟rom the team ever since this happened and I learned about the firing of me the same time as it had been released to the press. 

“Like I say, I like to think I’m a young man at 23, I was not ready for it. I didn’t receive any hint or any support to say this is the decision we’ve taken, it’ll go live in 15 minutes, just be rea🎐dy for it. I had messages from people and learned at the same time as you guys did.”

The 𒐪Russian driver still has his sights set on a future 🐠in F1 but doesn’t want to return to Haas.

“I absolutely do not see F1 as a closed chapter for me,” he added. “I’m going to stay in race condition and I will be ready to take on an opportunity if it comes, and at the moment I’m only si🍌ghting F1 and no other categories.

“It’s good to keep all options available, but I definitely don’t want to go back to a place which doesn’t want me, and as you know, F1 is a🧔 dangerous sport an♊d you have to rely on and believe in the team you’re working with, it’s a question of safety, and I think it is fair to say I do not have that trust in them.”