The 2021 Formula 1 season is courting controversy before the cars even hit the track. The latest issue surrounds the Haas F1 team’s livery.

Unveiled yesterday, the red, white, and blue livery bears a striking resemblance to the Russian flag. The problem is that the two-year ban on the flag’s use at world championship events that was announced in December by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) should also apply to Formula 1 events.

Read Also: Mick Schumacher, Son Of F1 Legend Michael Schumacher, Will Race For Haas In 2021

Indeed, Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin (who has been no stranger to controversy) won’t be allowed to wear the Russian flag or hear the Russian national anthem if he ends up on the podium. The words “Russia” and “Russian” aren’t even allowed to show up on his clothing.

The ban followed a WADA investigation that found state-sponsored doping and related cover-ups at the 2014 Olympics.

When asked if the livery was chosen in an attempt to circumvent the ruling, Haas Team Principal, Guenther Steiner, said that it was chosen before it was clear that the WADA ban would apply to Formula 1 events.

“No, we didn’t circumvent anything,” Steiner said, per Autosport. “We came up with this livery already last year before all of this came out from WADA about the Russian flag.”

The team claims that the livery was chosen to reflect its title sponsor, Uralkali, a Russian company in which Mazepin’s father is a major stakeholder.

“Obviously we cannot use the Russian flag as the Russian flag, but you can use colors on a car,” said Steiner. “In the end, it’s the athlete which cannot display the Russian flag and not the team.” He also stressed that “the team is an American team.”

Steiner said, though, that they had been in contact with the FIA about the livery, but claims that the team does not need the governing body’s approval.

Note: Images courtesy of Haas F1 Team Twitter account