F1 star returns after four-year ban lifted

Mazepin in his last F1 weekend — Photo: © IMAGO

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F1 star returns after four-year ban lifted

Mazepin returns!

Dan Ripley Global Editor

Professional F1 journalist and analyst

Saturday 29 August 2026 08:32

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Former F1 star Nikita Mazepin is back in competitive action this weekend, marking a significant moment in motor racing.

Mazepin competed for the Haas team in 2021 as team-mate to Mick Schumacher, son of Michael, but was kicked out of the team after just one season.

Around this time, the Russian driver was the centre of a storm following Russia's invasion of Ukraine that saw Russian drivers banned from competing under their national flag by the FIA, instead having to compete under neutral representation.

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However, amid fan pressure against Mazepin competing in 2022, Haas decided to axe Mazepin along with major Russian sponsor Ural Kali just weeks before the start of the season.

This ban stood for four years until August when the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) decided to lift it, allowing Russian, as well as Belarusian, drivers to compete under flag of their own country again.

A statement read: "After consultation, the WMSC decided that the FIA emergency measures shall be revised to lift the restrictions on the participation of Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual competitors and officials, as well as those relating to the display of their national symbols, colours, flags and anthems.

“Russian and Belarusian drivers, national teams, individual competitors and officials are allowed to participate in international/zone competitions without any restrictions. The requirement of signing a commitment to neutrality no longer applies.”

Mazepin returns after ban lifted

Mazepin will compete in the Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy (STT) at Spa this weekend, making his GT3 debut, driving a Mercedes-AMG for the Team Motopark. It will mark the first time a Russian driver has competed in a race since the FIA ban was lifted.

He didn't take long to show off his skills that got him to F1 either, taking pole position in the first qualifying session by over four seconds from P2.

Previously he had only tested at Spa and Lausitzring for the team, although has previous GT team experience from last year's 24 Hours of Dubai competing in a Rossa LM GT.

Since leaving F1 in 2022, Mazepin's other racing experience came racing in the Asian Le Mans Series in the 2023 and 2023/24 campaigns.

Mazepin is not the only ex-F1 driver competing at Spa in the STT this weekend with former Jaguar and Red Bull star Christian Klien driving a Lotus Emira GT4.

Neither is he the only driver competing under the Russian flag this weekend, with Rinat Salikhov featuring in the GT World Europe series at the Nurburgring.

Nikita Mazepin tests for Haas ahead of the 2022 F1 season

What happened to Mazepin in F1?

Mazepin failed to score a single point in his only season in F1 in 2021, despite competing in 21 of the 22 races, although this doesn't paint a truly fair reflection on his sole year in the sport.

His best finish was a 14th place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but he would typically finish no higher than 17th.

Mazepin suffered four retirements in Bahrain, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy and Saudi Arabia and didn't compete in the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi due to a positive Covid test on race day.

While Mazepin failed to score a single point, neither did his team-mate Mick Schumacher, whose own best finish was 12th, outlining how poor the Haas team were that season as they struggled financially following the Covid crisis.

Despite this though, Mazepin was deemed to have had a poorer season than the son of the seven-time world champion.

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F1 Spa-Francorchamps Nikita Mazepin