Ex-F1 driver Nikita Mazepin won 2022 the Silk Way Rally in Russia. This was his first win since being removed from the F1 grid.
Nikita Mazepin was to be racing for Haas F1 in the 2022 season. But due to the current Geo-political crises, he was removed from the team days before the season began.
Following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, many countries and organisations decided to impose sanctions and bans on Russia. The FIA has banned events in Russia and Belarus.
Along with its parent body, F1 confirmed that Russian drivers could participate only under a neutral flag. While Motorsport UK decided to ban Russian drivers altogether.
This led to Haas removing Nikita Mazepin from its driver’s list. Kevin Magnussen was recalled to take his place. The team also removed ‘Uralkali’ as its sponsor, which is owned by Mazepin’s father, Dimitry.
In the months that passed, Nikita gained interest in off-road racing. He participated in the 2022 Silk Way Rally and won the T3 car category for Snag Racing Team and won stage 7.
It is a 10-day off-road marathon-styled rally. The race starts in Astrakhan before finishing in Moscow. Mazepin said, “I have a very good feeling. We have had eight days, every day is different. Every day is a new test, but everything is positive.”
After he was stripped of his F1 seat, the Russian stated that he will be fighting against this ‘injustice’. He threatened to sue Haas as the team have not paid back the sponsorship amount.
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F1 twitter reacts to Nikita Mazepin’s win
Nikita Mazepin drove for Haas in the 2021 F1 season. The online community trolled him for his frequent crashes, lack of speed, and loss of control.
He built a reputation as a rather poor driver compared to teammate Mick Schumacher. The F1 community was nicknamed the Russian ‘Maze-spin’ due to his frequent spins.
Twitter community was unimpressed with his recent feat. A user cited “he won more races than Hamilton”, while many users were against the importance given to the driver.
A user joked “Did all the other competitors mysteriously fall out of a window on lap 2?” While one commented, “He’s out of F1, we don’t like him.”
Also Read: F1 Twitter reacts to Mick Schumacher defending his position against Lewis Hamilton
