Nikita Mazepin bemoans 'gentleman's agreement' after Norris incident

Mazepin, Haas, SpanishGP — Photo: © LAT Images

Spanish Grand Prix

Mazepin bemoans 'gentleman's agreement' after Norris incident

Mazepin has been handed a three-place grid drop and a penalty point for the incident

Ewan Gale

Saturday 8 May 2021 20:44

Nikita Mazepin has suggested the incident that saw him impede Lando Norris during Spanish Grand Prix qualifying proves the so-called 'gentleman's' agreement' does not work in F1.

Mazepin came under fire for his actions during qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix where he overtook multiple drivers into the final corner before spinning at turn one, breaking the code supposedly agreed by drivers that positions should be kept in order ahead of their respective flying laps.

After falling victim to a backlog at the final chicane at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and in the process being handed a three-place grid penalty for blocking the hard-charging McLaren of Norris, Mazepin pointed to the agreement as to why he was in harm's way.

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Before the verdict was in, Mazepin stated: "If I am not mistaken I was asked about the drivers' gentleman's agreement out of the last corner in Bahrain. I think this was a very prime example of that not working in Formula 1."

Explaining how the impact of team-mate Mick Schumacher, AlphaTauri's Yuki Tsunoda and Alfa Romeo's Kimi Raikkonen affected his judgement, Mazepin continued "I was really trying to obey it as I have ever since I took a note of it.

"It is very difficult when two cars are there into a corner that is very slow and very tight when the length of a car - two-and-a-half metres - you cannot put a third car there.

"Then especially, if a fourth car is arriving at full speed, I didn't feel boxing-up behind was an option because that would have left my rear-end on the racing line.

"The only option was to go, which I did, and unfortunately, it is all of these things coming together.

"I am not upset about it because there is really not much I could have done apart from disappearing which, unfortunately, I am not yet able to do."