EXCLUSIVE: Why Haas is not seeking ‘quick fix’ after Mazepin sponsor fallout

The American outfit has been left without a title sponsor for 2022 after terminating its previous deal with Uralkali and Russian driver Nikita Mazepin's contract in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine at the end of February. 

It marked the second successive title sponsor for Haas that has lasted 12 months or less, with the team cutting ties with previous partner Rich Energy - headed by the outspoken and eccentric William Storey - just 14 races into the 2019 season after experiencing a volatile relationship.

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Speaking exclusively to Crash.net ahead of the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at Imola, Steiner insisted there is “no timeline” for Haas to find a new title sponsor. 

“Absolutely no timeline,” Steiner said. “If we find one quick that would be fantastic but it needs to be for the right reasons. We don’t want just a quick fix at the moment. 

“We want a mid-to-long-term partner that goes with us and stays with us. That is the aim and obviously we learned our lessons from the past and try to apply them.

“You learn out of things you’ve done before and we don’t want to replicate them anymore.”

When asked if the controversy surrounding the previous deals had made Haas more wary or changed its approach to finding new sponsors in any way, Steiner replied: “No, the process is always the same. You try to always do your best and we always try to do better than before.” 

Haas waiting for ‘best package’ 

Speaking in a separate media session, Steiner stressed a deal would not solely be based on money but also making sure it is the best overall “package” for Haas. 

“We are waiting for the best package,” Steiner explained. “It’s a combination of things; the best offer, the best sponsor. 

"Just not doing something and taking a deal today that maybe in six months you find out you shouldn’t have done it. It's sometimes better to sit back because if somebody is still waiting, they can wait three or six months. 

“It’s not a rush and if the deal we think is not good enough going forward, we don’t have to do a deal this year. It’s not a must. There is stuff coming in but we need to do it right.” 

Asked if there is any rush from a financial perspective to secure a new title sponsor, Steiner quipped: “If you have got some money, I am rushing to get it to me!

“We will be okay without. There is always a need for money because this should be a business and not a money-wasting machine. 

“But you have to do the right thing and sometimes waiting for the right thing helps you more in the mid-to-long term. That is the focus for me and the team. 

“We are in a good position in terms of performance, now we need to make commercially good positions going into the mid-to-long term.” 

Haas heads into this weekend’s race at Imola occupying seventh in the constructors’ championship having scored 12 points across the opening three rounds.

Nikita and Dmitry Mazepin properties seized

Properties belonging for former Haas driver Mazepin and his billionaire father, worth approximately £88 million, have been seized in Italy.

The operation targeting a villa, known as Rocky Ram, is part of Italy's efforts to clamp down on Russians linked to the country's president Vladimir Putin.

Nikita Mazepin: What are F1's values?

Mazepin, who is now without a seat in F1, told CNN about returning eventually: “I would say the biggest issue here is coming back to the sport where teams are allowed to be keeping sponsorship money without fulfilling the contract. 

“And even asking for more, even though they say they don't want money from Russia. So I'm not sure, but the sport values need to be evaluated for me after this.”

He added about his nationality affecting his return to F1: “Everybody has a right to speak or not to speak and the FIA, the highest governing body, has enabled me to compete as long as I'm neutral.”

Mazepin only competed for one season but is targeting a comeback: “It's difficult to say at this moment in time, because I'm very wary that my issue is that I've lost a job.

“I was trying to get to F1 for 17 years and then I eventually got there. But it's a very minor issue if you compare to the big things that are going on in the world right now.

“Of course, I would love to get back to the sport. I feel that I've got a lot of unfinished business there. 

“But I need to wait until things cool down. And I don't even know who I can get back to because, you know, Haas has obviously done what they did with playing not the cleanest game, in my opinion. But it's different for me.”

Mazepin said about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine: “My view is that, whatever is going on right now, and I can only see a very small bit from where I am in Moscow, it's very painful,

“And I definitely feel it.

“I've been living for 23 years, and I was living in a very calm world. But as to my official position, I've said many times that it's very important to be neutral for me, because I'm an athlete. 

“And I feel that it's important to be able to be neutral. Even for that, I have created a foundation that will help athletes stay neutral in principle.”