Controversial former F1 driver tastes success on racing return

Mazepin op weg naar podium in Dubai — Photo: © LAT Images

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Controversial former F1 driver tastes success on racing return

The divisive driver was victorious on his comeback in Asia

Shay Rogers

Monday 4 December 2023 17:57 Updated: 18:08

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Former Haas Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin reigned victorious on his return to racing this weekend, winning in the LMP2 category of the Asian Le Mans Series.

He was joined by Louis Deletraz and Ahmad Al Harthy in the car, driving for 99 Racing at the old Malaysian Grand Prix circuit.

As is often the case in Sepang’s humid climate, torrential rain affected the weekend, forcing the race to be cut short by ten minutes as Mazepin returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since his F2 days.

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It has been nearly two years since Mazepin was dropped by Haas, the American outfit terminating his contract over the conflict in Ukraine.

Nikita Mazepin last drove a Formula 1 car in testing for the 2022 season

The Russian was axed by Haas with immediate effect almost two years ago

Mazepin returns to form

In an Instagram post after the race, the Russian shared his delight after securing victory.

He claimed it has been nearly a year since he last drove a racing car competitively.

However, it is unlikely that he will return to the F1 grid anytime soon, with no seats available in 2024, and an ultra-competitive market for the following year.