Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Nikita Mazepin has to accept some people will continue to criticise him for his behaviour in the social media video he attained notoriety for last year.
Mazepin issued an apology after uploading a video of himself groping a woman in a car in December. Steiner said he had discussed the incident “a lot” with his new driver for the 2021 F1 season.“We spoke about what we think went wrong,” said Steiner. “I don’t want to expand about the details but I think the biggest thing is he got support. He [understands] how it was wrong. And he knows that, I didn’t have to tell him, because he apologised also after the incident.
“In general we just move on and we want to build him up to be a good race car driver. And a good race car driver needs to be also a good human being. He’s eager to learn anything he can because he is very young and just wants to move on and show what he can do in future.”
Mazepin told media last week the incident was a “huge mistake” which he had “taken responsibility for”, but refused to say whether he had apologised to the woman seen in the video.
Asked what the team would do to shield its driver from further criticism, Steiner said the fact Mazepin had publicly apologised for his behaviour was “the biggest protection” he could give himself.
“He will have always people that don’t like him – and I’m not saying that what was done was right and he doesn’t say that,” Steiner commented.
“We just need to move on. You cannot dwell on something which happened. You cannot get rid of it any more. It happened, it’s a fact. So you just need to move on, doing the right things, and doing your job right. That’s the only [way] he can move on. There doesn’t need to be any talk anymore, it needs to be just a walk.
“For sure some people will never let loose of this and will find it always to attack him. But I think he will grow some hairs on his chest and just deal with it. That’s what will happen. He’s a strong guy.
“It’s for sure not nice to deal with this when you’re young. But it happened, you cannot make it go away, so just move on and behave like he should.”
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Retired (@jeff1s)
9th March 2021, 8:04
Steiner is a funny man, but he’s justifying the good and the evil with little crazy quotes.
Sometimes we need more than a clown show.
Mayrton
9th March 2021, 8:08
Well, he’s not wrong. People have made their, valid, point and need to move on. Turning it in a witch-hunt will only fuel the believe he does nothing wrong and his criticasters are politically motivated. People need to get more clever towards these situations, instead the criticaster constantly let themselves be fueled by the media who’s interest it is to drag these story to the full extent.
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
9th March 2021, 8:21
What’s a criticaster? First time I’ve seen the word.
Charlie
10th March 2021, 9:09
Fender discontinued it in 1963
Aapje (@aapje)
10th March 2021, 18:22
@wsrgo
An inferior critic.
BasCB (@bascb)
9th March 2021, 8:42
Maryton, that is complete nonsense.
No media at all picked this up until private people on social media started calling him out in his behaviour. Only then did media pick up on it. And the story would be long gone from any headlines if the social media pressure from normal fans who just do not accept this as normal behaviour wouldn’t still exist.
@wsrgo a criticaster is a “an inferior or petty critic” -i.e. a derogatory way to refer to the people who rightfully critisize Mazepin for sexual abusive behaviour.
Mayrton
9th March 2021, 10:30
I guess that is a confirmation of my statement. People dont even recognise they are being played by the media anymore. This topic should be long gone. Yet, as Racefans today, fuel keeps getting added. Nice for headlines and debates like this, but in the end very little effective towards bullies like Mazepin who now see the critic as a politically driven thing. Hence the attention is moved away from what really needed to be addressed, his behaviour.
Tommy C (@tommy-c)
9th March 2021, 10:37
I feel like it probably would be long gone if there had actually been some meaningful ramifications from the team or even the governing body for bringing the sport into disrepute.
Aleš Norský
9th March 2021, 12:11
Amazing how this thing keeps on living, while the disreputable comments made by Max Verstappen never were an issue at all…quite the opposite. When the offended party demanded an apology, the social media crowd ridiculed THEM. The other party in Mazepin’s case never asked for an apology (as far as I know) yet he apologized anyway…but it’s just not enough, apparently. Wonder if this has anything to do with the fact he is Russian and has rich daddy.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
9th March 2021, 20:39
What did he say which led you to this conclusion?
wsrgo (@wsrgo)
9th March 2021, 12:18
@bascb Ahh understood, thanks!
Balue (@balue)
9th March 2021, 10:33
Wow, daily Mazepin stories. Guess it was to be expected.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
9th March 2021, 23:07
Wait until he ruins a race this coming season it will be an inevitable bloodbath
Dave
9th March 2021, 12:02
Mazepin’s reputation won’t be redeemed.
Broccoliface
9th March 2021, 12:23
Hopefully his inevitable racing roadrage antics will see this dead horse of a story replaced after a race or two. Might as well just pin a story at the top titled Mazepin is a rich, daddy’s boy c*ck and be done with it.
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
9th March 2021, 13:15
Journos are more offended than the girl. They live the terror every day.
Balue (@balue)
9th March 2021, 14:42
@peartree Touché
Archit
9th March 2021, 13:30
Donald Trump became USA’s president after doing every bad thing in the world against women. Can’t Nikita Mazepin just be left alone after one bad incident? He is young and will hopefully learn! We all make mistakes that we are not proud of sometimes!
Dave
9th March 2021, 17:05
Same with Max Verstappen after Brazil 2018 until Portugal 2020.
Aapje (@aapje)
10th March 2021, 18:29
@Archit
You don’t understand. Woke people never forgive. It’s what makes them compassionate.
You should read up on the Utopia they want to achieve. It’s described in ‘1984’ by Orwell.
Josh (@canadianjosh)
9th March 2021, 15:53
I had totally forgotten about young Nikita’s groping incident but a big thanks RaceFans for trying to ignite the story yet again. Shows great class.
NS Biker (@rekibsn)
9th March 2021, 17:37
Mazepin will ‘grow some hairs on his chest and deal with’ criticism – Steiner
The expectation will be that next week, a new posting entitled ….
Mazepin to become a modern man and embrace the hairless norm with Duct-Tape and a quick swipe. Ouch ….!
RocketTankski
9th March 2021, 20:55
Sexism, breakfast of champions! ;-)
Tomcat173 (@tomcat173)
9th March 2021, 21:53
He’s a modern day James Hunt. We should celebrate young Nikita.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
9th March 2021, 23:08
Yeah, no.
T
11th March 2021, 14:51
I’m pretty sure it was a low-key dig at the Hunt fanboys.
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
9th March 2021, 23:10
Gunther is trying hard but he must know he will fail in both respects.