Fittipaldi handed "first call" if Mazepin cannot race

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner has confirmed reserve driver Pietro Fittipaldi would have the "first call" should Nikita Mazepin no longer be able to drive for Haas.

Mazepin's F1 future has been cast into doubt after Haas elected to remove the Russian Uralkali branding from its car as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Uralkali is co-owned by Mazepin's father, Dmitry.

"If Nikita couldn't drive for one or another reason, the first call would go to Pietro," Steiner told Speed City Broadcasting.

"He has been with us for a few years and we would see what we would do next.

"Pietro is always around with us for the reason that in the last years we have needed a reserve driver with having Covid around. He is always around. He knows the team, he knows the car.

"To jump in from one day to the other, there is nobody better than Pietro around at the moment."

Speaking on Friday, Steiner confirmed talks will take place with title sponsor Uralkali to sort out 'legal stuff' but he refused to speculate on whether these talks would bring the relationship to an end.

"I cannot go into that," said Steiner. "Obviously, there are contractual issues that we need to sort and I think we need to speak with the Uralkali guys about that and then we will come up with the solution.

"There is always a solution to be found so I would not like to comment on that one right now."

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