F1 bad boy Nikita Mazepin now – fighting UK government, jet-set life and DJing
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It’s 18 months since Nikita Mazepin was booted out of F1 in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Mazepin – or ‘Mazespin’ as he became known following his error-strewn debut season – was dumped by Haas as the sport distanced itself from Vladimir Putin’s vile regime. Mazepin’s father Dmitry, whose sponsorship cash bought his son a seat at Haas, is an alleged close associate of the Russian tyrant.
Therefore, few in the sport were sad to see the back of the pair. However, Mazepin Jr didn’t go quietly, claiming his sacking was unjust and that sport and politics shouldn’t mix.
READ MORE: F1 bad boy Nikita Mazepin speaks about Russia’s Ukraine war – and says he’s ‘neutral’
READ MORE: Disgraced star Nikita Mazepin says he will not 'give up his country' for return to F1
“We must understand that the politicisation of sports will divide not only the entire sporting and Olympic movement, but will affect all social spheres of life in the future,” he moaned last year.
“Therefore, sports should remain neutral territory and I, as a representative of this caste, should also maintain neutrality. Some will say that it is inaction or fear to express one’s position. But in this case, for me neutrality is a position.”
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Since then Mazepin has been busy, with his schedule since F1 including a DJ set at a Russian football stadium. This summer he has travelled around South America while his Instagram feed is littered with shots of him running and undertaking other forms of exercise.
Oh, and he has also been embroiled in a battle with the British government over Russian sanctions. He even tried to take legal action against foreign secretary James Cleverly.
Amid all that, Mazepin still reckons he deserves a spot on the F1 grid, despite being wholly outclassed by Mick Schumacher during the 2021 season. In June, lawyers representing Mazepin appeared at London’s High Court asking for an interim suspension of sanctions so he could travel to the UK to hold talks with F1 teams.
The application was flatly dismissed, meaning the Mazepins remains barred from the UK. Lawyers representing the government said sanctions were a “key aspect” of Britain’s attempts to “address the situation” in Ukraine.
Lawyers representing Mazepin complained that he has been sanctioned “only” because he is “his father’s son”. They told the judge there was no evidence that he supported the Russian regime or Russia’s “actions” in Ukraine – and argued that the sanctions were “unfair” and “draconian”.
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