Ever since Russia declared war on Ukraine at the start of 2022, Nikita Mazepin has been an outcast in the world of F1. He lost his seat at Haas after the American team severed ties with his father’s company Uralkali, and the Russian driver didn’t find any other outfit interested in securing his services. It has been more than a year since the war started, and with sanctions imposed on the country and its athletes, Mazepin’s chances of finding his way back into F1 grow slimmer every single day.
After being fired by Haas, Mazepin stated that he was determined to find his way back into F1. Earlier this year, the UK government took steps to prevent the possibility of Mazepin returning. They imposed further sanctions on Mazepin and other Russians who planned on doing business in the UK.
For Mazepin, things became particularly difficult. This is because his father Dimitry, is considered to be a part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest circle. Still, Mazepin didn’t give up. He fought hard to fight these sanctions and began preparations to negotiate with F1 teams as he planned a return in 2024.
Nikita Mazepin cannot make a return to F1
Mazepin fought long and hard in his battle to fight the sanctions imposed by the British government. In fact, he did taste a few small victories which gave him hope about securing a return to the grid soon. Unfortunately for the Moscow-born, everything went downhill after a judge in London’s High Court handed out a defining verdict.
Mazepin will not be allowed to enter the UK under any circumstances. This also prevents him from having talks with any F1 team, that could be potentially interested in having him in their team. As a result, his plans of traveling to Silverstone ahead of the British GP to hold negotiations will now not fall through.
High Court delivers Nikita Mazepin verdict in Russian #F1 flop’s fight against UK sanctions 🚨 https://t.co/hmss8Cv7LE pic.twitter.com/jZQd3cVrbu
— Mirror F1 (@MirrorF1) June 8, 2023
This is a huge blow for Mazepin, who was adamant about making a return to F1 next season. Even though it would’ve been hard for him to find a team interested in his services, the 24-year-old would have liked to keep his options open.
Mazepin’s lawyers provide update about his potential return
One would understand if Mazepin decided to give up on his F1 dream after the latest verdict. However, his lawyers insist that this roadblock won’t affect their long-term plans. As quoted by Nextgenauto.com, Mazepin’s lawyers said:
“Today’s interim decision on interim measures, although disappointing, does not affect the fate of our claim as a whole. We expect that the claim will be heard on the merits in July. And we have every reason to hope for an honest and fair outcome of the case. Which will allow Nikita to fully return to international motorsport.”
Even though Mazepin is struggling to have things go his way, he isn’t earning a lot of sympathy from the F1 community. During his short stint in the sport and throughout his junior career, he often did things that upset everyone around him, and his personality has always been questioned. As a result, the majority of the fanbase doesn’t want Mazepin back in F1, even if he manages to overturn the sanctions.
