Among all the drivers of the race, Nikita Mazepin finished dead last at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Despite this heartbreaking result, he has got a reason to smile as good news comes his way.
Formula 1 fans consider Mazepin to be one of the top performers of the race right in front of the likes of Daniel Ricciardo.
The ‘Driver of the day’ is a popular vote among fans of the sport that lets them engage directly with the racing experience.
Lewis Hamilton won the vote for the driver of the day with 22.6% votes. Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc came in second and third respectively.
But the real spin to this was further down the rankings. Mazepin had received 7.3% votes and came in fourth place, ahead of Daniel Ricciardo (6.5%).
One cannot deny the possibility that this could be a sarcastic dig at the Russian driver by racing fans. In fact, that is almost a certainty.
There have also been a whole bunch of memes regarding his blocking tactics and his unfortunate spins.
Mazepin has been involved in an array of controversies.
During the middle stage of the race, Hamilton had pitted to get a fresh set of tyres. However, on exiting, he encountered Mazepin who refused to let him pass despite being shown blue flags.
This enraged Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, who contacted Race Director Michael Massi immediately to complain.
“Michael, blue flags! Michael, this guy makes us lose the position,” he was heard as saying over the radio.
Mazepin really needs to get a grip on situations like these.
Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Read More: “Makes us lose the position”: Wolff furious with Mazepin impeding Hamilton during Grand Prix