Vitaly Petrov has slammed the decision that will prevent F1 rookie Nikita Mazepin from racing under the Russian flag in 2021.
The Russian automobile federation has confirmed that the World Anti-Doping Agency’s sanctions mean that every Russian competitor taking part in world championships for the next two years will have to do so as a ’neutral athlete’.
If Mazepin wins a race for Haas, the Russian anthem will also not be played.
"This is completely absurd," former F1 driver Petrov said.
"I think every athlete should be responsible only for his own actions. If he was doping and caught, only then should he be deprived of his privileges," he added.
"To me it is completely incomprehensible that Russian athletes who train honestly, put all their strength and their health into something and then they are forbidden to defend their flag or hear their anthem, are stopped by WADA.
"I am sure Russia will fight this because otherwise it would make no sense for our children to go into sports, wasting their time and energy to not have the opportunity to represent our country properly," Petrov said.