Nikita Mazepin has issued a scathing response to being released by his Haas F1 team with immediate effect.
Russian driver Mazepin, 23, debuted for the team last year but endured a difficult campaign, failing to notch any points in the first 21 races before missing the season finale in Abu Dhabi having tested positive for Covid-19.
However, he was set to partner Mick Schumacher again this time around when, on February 24, his country launched their invasion of Ukraine.
As a result, the FIA moved to cancel the 2022 Russian Grand Prix, later tearing up their long-term contract with the event, and ruled that drivers from the country - and Belarus - could only compete as neutrals.
Haas promptly cut ties with main sponsors Uralkali, a company that Mazepin's father partly owns, and removed the colour red from their car livery.
However, Mazepin's future then came under further scrutiny when Uk Motorsport confirmed he would be barred from the Grand Prix at Silverstone in July, and on Saturday, Haas revealed he was now being released.
Not before telling the ex-Formula 2 man himself it seems, with Mazepin now claiming he learnt the news via a press release and has not even spoken to team boss, Guenther Steiner.
"I learned about the firing the same time as it had been released to the press. I'm a young man at 23, and I was not ready for it," he was quoted as saying in The Sun.
"I did not receive any hint, or any support to say 'you know, this is the decision we've taken, it's going to go live in 15 minutes, just be ready for it.'
"I had a lot of messages from people, and I just learned at the same time as everyone did."
Mazepin was in Barcelona last week for three days of pre-season testing with his team, but insists Steiner gave him no hints over his future.
"Guenther gave me no information about what decision the team is going to take, aside from the information that he has been giving my manager up to March 4.
"And then the press release came, I read it and found out that my contract had been terminated. But I did not speak to him personally.
"I haven't spoken to Guenther since I left Barcelona on the third day of testing."
Mazepin has since taken to Twitter to announce he's fronting a new foundation, 'We Compete As One,' to help athletes blocked from competing for political reasons.
