Former F1 star takes BIG step towards return after key decision made

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Former F1 star takes BIG step towards return after key decision made

The driver has had a rough couple of years

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 21 March 2024 13:57

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A former Formula 1 driver has been given the green light to return to racing.

Nikita Mazepin and his father, Dmitry Mazepin, were singled out as people who were subject to restrictive measures by the EU, which included the freezing of funds and bans from entering EU member states, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

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Haas - who were sponsored by Mazepin senior's company Uralkali at the time - were forced to terminate Mazepin's contract in March 2022, leaving the young racer without a full-time racing seat.

Having spent almost two years in the wilderness, Mazepin recently returned to racing action in the Asian Le Mans series but, until now, has not been able to think about a return to racing in Europe.

Guenther Steiner was forced to terminate Nikita Mazepin's contract

Unlikely F1 return given green light

Now, the 25-year-old has had restrictions originally placed on him by the EU lifted, boosting his hopes of an unlikely return to F1.

The General Court ruled that his links with his father did not go beyond family links, citing no reason why the young Russian should still be on the sanction list.

It said in a statement: “The General Court recalls that the 'association' criterion, applied in respect of Mr Nikita Mazepin, covers persons who are, generally speaking, linked by common interests.

“In accordance with settled case-law, that criterion implies the existence of a link going beyond a family relationship, established in the light of a set of indicia sufficiently specific, precise and consistent.

Haas now have two very experienced drivers

“In the circumstances of the present case, the General Court holds that the Council did not discharge its burden of proof to establish such a link.

“The association between Mr Nikita Mazepin and his father is in no way established from an economic or capital perspective or by the existence of common interests linking them at the time when the maintaining acts were adopted.”

Mazepin was happy with the outcome, despite it still being extremely unlikely that the 25-year-old will ever be able to make a return to F1.

“I am hugely encouraged by today's ruling and grateful to the European Court for a fair trial of my case,” Mazepin said in a statement. “This is certainly a crucial milestone.”

Haas Nikita Mazepin