Mazepin explains Russian military service situation

Nikita Mazepin has provided an explanation as to the confusion surrounding Russian national military service.

Reports ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix suggested the Haas driver would have to complete his time in the military as mandated by his home country, which would have disrupted his rookie F1 season.

Providing insight into how the situation will pan out, Mazepin said: "Regarding the military service, I am aware there has been a bit of a discussion there.

"From my side, the situation is very clear. I study in university and the way it works in Russia, there is mandatory military service and there are two ways of serving if you are fit enough.

"Option one is finishing university and then going for a year, and option two is if you qualify, being fit enough in terms of your fitness results and studying results, you can go onto something called the elite army which is served in a completely different way."

Explaining this is what he has been completing over the past few years, Mazepin added: "It is one day a week and you are learning to be an officer and reserve and it takes three years but only one day a week.

"It is basically done in a class. This is what I have been doing already for two years.

"I am obviously going to continue doing it for one more year to hopefully graduate into an officer and reserve.

"However, [recently] I passed my final exam in university after finishing my first four years and I am moving on to get my second masters degree later on in two years."

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