Nov.25 - Nikita Mazepin says he hasn't abandoned his dream of racing in Formula 1.

The Russian and his father's company were expelled by the Haas team at the outbreak of the Ukraine conflict.

Since then, 23-year-old Mazepin has insisted that he would not return if it means agreeing with the FIA's rules about denouncing Vladimir Putin's regime.

Haas team pre-season problems continue to mount?

Nikita Mazepin, Haas VF-22 during the Barcelona February testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya on Friday February 25, 2022 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Mark Sutton / LAT Images)

He filled some of his time in 2022 at the wheel of a rally-raid machine, and even won on debut in the Russian rally Silk Way.

"I did that out of pleasure and fortunately the pleasure led to victory," Mazepin told Tass news agency.

"But I don't see myself as a professional rally driver. Silk Way is a wonderful competition but for a non-rally driver to really prepare, you'd have to put everything else aside."

He is coy about his plans for 2023.

"I believe that I have a certain social mission that I am engaged in, and it brings me great pleasure," said Mazepin, referring to his support for athletes like him who are sidelined for political reasons.

"Next year I will also compete for myself in a new discipline outside of our country, but so far there are no signatures. So I can't tell you about it," he insisted.

What he does hope, however, is that it will be one step on the road back to Formula 1.

"There is the desire, of course, to continue to compete in motorsport," said Mazepin.

"My goal is to return to Formula 1 so that is the direction I will work in."


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18 F1 Fan comments on “Mazepin not giving up his hopes on F1 return

  1. smokey

    Mazepin is a below average driver who bought his seat in F1.
    An oxygen thief like that who supports the invasion of Ukraine must never be allowed to return to F1 and bring the F1 business and the FIA into disrepute.

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  2. shroppyfly

    Based on Binmans Governments record, hell be back in f1 pretty quick, im trying hard not to mention immunity from prosecution (in all but name) for a country's leader given recently

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  3. ReallyOldRacer

    "Next year I will also compete for myself in a new discipline outside of our country, but so far there are no signatures. So I can't tell you about it," he insisted.

    Lead driver in a 4-man bobsled in the next winter olympics, competing for the Turks & Caicos. Dad is buying the islands.

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  4. shroppyfly

    England's performance was incredible, they can go all the way I believe, YeaH All the way to the airport, Im not a football fan, but well done USA, nothing from our two f1 Icons of fairness and equality? I was so hoping that Seb and Lewis would be arrested walking around Doha while wearing rainbow Hats, and Lewis was dragged into a police van , shouting don't you know who i am .... Call my dad Now get the Fia Lawyer quick... Sebs arrest was a little complicated with his hair , they said So Mrs Vettel

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    • ReallyOldRacer

      You don't have to be a fan to love a tie match. Everybody wins, or loses, or something. And what's the deal with 'extra minutes' where only the referee knows the amount? Lewie would love that.

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      • shroppyfly

        Extra minutes, yeah that's a thing Lewis brokered with FIFA and the FIA, you see they are almost the same, Christians lawyer friend made it into all the contracts, paid for by Mercedes, as you say everyone's happy , each f1 race will now get extra minutes , just incase Lewis needs a bit more time to come up with excuse number 374, Max just shrugged his shoulders and said , it is what it is, ill still win, so we keep going when asked what he thought about his team mates race , he smiled and said, Um I don't know, who is my team mate Checo, Danni,Lewis?

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  5. kyle

    Apart from Russia being declared a terrorist state, Putin and ALL his government being prosecuted & sentenced for WAR CRIMES, ALL passive or active supporters of Putin (like the Mazepin family) should be barred from entering or trading into ANY country outside Russia and all their foreign assets seized to assist in funding Ukrainians reconstruction. Any country, organisation, company or persons outside Russia in breach of this should be subjected to the same, until TOTAL justice is deemed to be served.

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  6. Susan

    Mazepin is a mediocre driver with a very rich daddy. Politics asise, what value does this brat bring to a team except Daddy’s checkbook? I know that naive but come on!

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    • ReallyOldRacer

      What the hell has football to do with F1

      Absolutely nothing, Tickle. Perhaps you haven't noticed but it's off-season, and so our minds drift. Actually, our minds drift during any season. Bumholes, that's a bit harsh. We prefer multipotentialite.

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