Haas F1 team welcomes UFC fighter Paddy Pimblet, with an alleged racist and xenophobic past, to their garage at British GP

Paddy Pimblett was invited as a guest by Hass at the 2022 British GP too.

Haas F1 team welcomes UFC fighter Paddy Pimblet, with an alleged racist and xenophobic past, to their garage at British GP

UFC star Paddy Pimblett (Image credit: @HaasF1Team vis Twitter)

Many UFC fighters have diverse interests beyond their sport, and Paddy Pimblett is no exception. Notably, he has shown a passionate enthusiasm for Formula 1. Recently, Pimblett was spotted with the American Haas team ahead of the 2023 British Grand Prix. However, it was only last year that the UFC star was caught in the middle of a controversy of passing racist and xenophobic comments.

In a Twitter post uploaded by Haas F1, Paddy Pimblett was photographed sitting in the VF-23. The picture was captioned, “Paddy’s at the wheel! Great to have you back with us today @PaddyTheBaddy.” This, although, wasn’t Paddy’s first visit to the Haas F1 garage. The UFC sensation was invited as a guest at the 2022 British GP too by the American team.

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Hollywood star Brad Pitt too was present at Silverstone for the production of his new Apple-backed F1 movie. Filming began this weekend for the movie, and the fictional 11th team is appearing in the paddock and pitlane. Modified F2 cars, driven by former racers turned stuntmen Craig Dolby and Luciano Bacheta, will be seen on the grid and complete part of the formation lap.

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Also read: UFC London superstar Paddy Pimblett’s RACIST tweets surface on the internet after Muhammad Mokaev’s accusations

Paddy Pimblett’s invitation to the Haas garage challenges Formula One’s commitment to inclusivity

Muhammad Mokeav (Image credit: Sky Sports) and Paddy Pimblett (Image credit: ITVX)

Pimblett’s contentious social media history resurfaced in a 2018 Twitter argument, where he allegedly made racist comments to Muhammad Mokaev. Mokaev, now representing England, had fled Russia for a better life. Pimblett’s account was suspended. He also had a recent incident with a racist undertone involving fellow UFC fighter Ilia Topuria.

His invitation by Haas F1 sparked controversy. Similar to the case of Nelson Piquet and Lewis Hamilton, racist comments caused a backlash in the F1 community. In preparation for this year’s event, F1 and the race promoter have significantly enhanced security measures to prevent the entry of alcohol into the circuit. This proactive approach comes as a response to the racist and sexist incidents last year, where alcohol was identified as a contributing factor.

To prevent a recurrence of last year’s incidents, F1 and the race promoter have increased security, specifically targeting the prohibition of alcohol within the circuit. So far, no such incidents have been reported by the Red Bull Ring. Formula One has a strict policy against racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. Pimblett’s invitation to the F1 paddock raised some eyebrows regarding abiding by their policies.

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