Just days after it was announced that Nikita Mazepin will be joining the Haas F1 Team in 2021, the Russian racing driver sparked outrage by posting a video of him groping a model onto his Instagram story.
The post was quickly deleted, but it nevertheless triggered a wave of criticism which prompted Mazepin to issue an apology while Haas said it would investigate his conduct internally.
READ: 67% Of F1 Fans Want Haas To Keep Nikita Mazepin If It Saves Jobs
Jack & Jones, a sponsor of former Haas F1 driver Kevin Magnussen, has recently distanced itself from the incident.
The clothing brand, the first Haas sponsor to comment on the incident involving Nikita Mazepin, emphasised that it had agreed to end its sponsorship deal with the American racing outfit prior to the controversy.
“JACK & JONES takes distance from the behaviour of upcoming Haas F1 Team driver Nikita Mazepin in the video posted on social media earlier this month,” the brand said in a statement on Thursday.
“Our partnership with Haas F1 Team was always due to end at the conclusion of the 2020 season. No further comments shall be made,” the company added.
Last month, the Haas F1 Team confirmed that Nikita Mazepin will still be joining the team in 2021 despite his conduct, prompting a fresh barrage of criticism from F1 fans on social media.
READ: Valtteri Bottas Was Too ‘Crap’ For George Russell Comparison