The FIA has joined the Haas Formula 1 team in criticising the behaviour of the team’s new signing Nikita Mazepin in a video posted on social media two days ago.

The video, which appeared on Mazepin’s Instagram account on Tuesday and was subsequently removed, showed Haas’s new driver for the 2021 F1 season grabbing a woman’s breast in a car. The woman, identified in the video as Andrea D’lval, appeared to push him away.

In a statement issued on Thursday the governing body of motorsport said: “We strongly support the Haas F1 Team in its response to the recent inappropriate actions of its driver, Nikita Mazepin.

“Mazepin has issued a public apology for his poor conduct and this matter will continue to be dealt with internally by the Haas F1 Team. The ethical principles and diverse and inclusive culture of our sport are of the utmost importance to the FIA and Formula 1.”

Haas described Mazepin’s behaviour in the video and its publication on his social media account as “abhorrent” and said it would handle the matter internally.

Mazepin issued an apology for his “inappropriate behaviour”. D’lval stated a subsequent social media post she “posted this video on his [Instagram] story as an internal joke”.

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