Haas to strip Russian colors and Uralkali name from VF-22!

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Haas has announced that it will conclude pre-season testing in Barcelona with an all-white car, the US outfit stripping the Uralkali name and its Russian colors from its VF-22 car.

The move comes in the wake of the escalation of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, with the former invading its neighboring country early on Thursday morning.

"Haas F1 Team will present its VF-22 in a plain white livery, minus Uralkali branding, for the third and final day of track running at Circuit de Barcelona – Catalunya on Friday 25 February," the team said in a statement published on Thursday evening.

"Nikita Mazepin will drive as planned in the morning session with Mick Schumacher taking over in the afternoon. No further comment will be made at this time regarding team partner agreements."

Read also: Vettel takes a stand: 'I will not go to Sochi'

Haas has been supported since 2021 by its title sponsor, Russian fertilizer giant Uralkali whose majority stockholder is Dmitry Mazepin, the father of F1 driver Niki Mazepin.

It's likely that Haas, as an American outfit, has been compelled to shed its Russian identity and branding as part of the United States' sanction package against Russia which, coupled with the European Union's own broad raft of sanctions, includes Russian banks being barred from the Western world's financial system and from conducting trans-border transactions.

It's unclear if Haas' initiative signifies a termination of its contract with Uralkali, but if so, such a scenario could also bode ill for the F1 team financially.

It also throws into doubt the future of Nikita Mazepin in Formula 1.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali was due to meet with F1 team bosses on Thursday evening in Barcelona to discuss the current Russia-Ukraine crisis and its potential impact on F1 and on next September's Russian Grand Prix in Sochi.

Earlier today, Formula 1 issued a statement in which it said that it was "very closely" monitoring events in Ukraine.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.