Some interesting stuff regarding the rumours of either Nikita Mazepin or Robert Shwarzman bringing Russian millions to F1.
Shwartzman's primary backer is SMP Bank. SMP is subject to US sanctions and thus Haas, an American team, is subject to American law and will not be allowed to enter in to any deals with SMP.
Mazepin's dad - Dmitry Mazepin - is loaded in his own right, however he finds himself involved in the crisis in Belarus through business and political (he is a Russian oligarch, so ties to Moscow) interests. Amid the Belorussian crisis, Russian oligarchs are using their political connections to prey on Belorussian enterprises and daddy Mazepin has been identified as one of them. One of the companies daddy Mazepin is after is already subject to US sanctions. If daddy presses on with his business ambitions, he himself could be subject to US sanctions. The EU is also paying close attention to what is happening in Belarus and are considering sanctions of their own and daddy Mazepin is on their radar. If the EU sanction him as well, that could prevent the rest of the F1 grid from dealing with him.
Now we know F1 doesn't really care where the money comes from, but this is some serious political stuff here that I am sure few teams will not be inclined to get involved. For Haas specifically, after the Rich Energy mess, I am sure they'd be very careful of who they do business with.
*A poster on Reddit done the sleuthing.
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