Nikita Mazepin has launched legal action against the Canadian government in a bid to return to F1 next season. The Russian motorsport star was unceremoniously stripped of his F1 seat with Haas just weeks before the start of last season due to his father's links with Vladimir Putin.
— Stuff We Like XXX 375000k š (@StuffWeLikex) May 27, 2022
šš/ ¡Un piloto muy BRAVO!@nikita_mazepin se puso la de BRAVOS.
— FC JuĆ”rez (@fcjuarezoficial) October 17, 2021
¡Apoyo de lujo para JuĆ”rez en CU, o no @alevega1212?
¡VAMOOOOOS BRAVOOOOOS! #MĆ”sBravosQueNunca #JuĆ”rezEsElNumberOne pic.twitter.com/xoDSG3qTJt
— š¬š§ The Beauty Of British TV š¬š§ (@uktvbeauty) October 21, 2021
Haas immediately cut ties with title sponsor Uralkali and the Mazepin family in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The FIA announced at the time that Russian and Belarusian racers could compete in events under a neutral flag, but Mazepin has since admitted that he was dismissed before even given the chance to agree to those terms.
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He's taken aim at Haas for their handling of the matter, insisting back in October that he was only made aware of his contract being terminated through their press release. Mazepin has since been handed interim relief in European courts to allow him to resume racing in the EU.
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BuzzVideosAnd he's continued racing over the past few months, competing in the Asian Le Mans Series with 99 Racing. But it's a return to F1 Mazepin wants most and Canada's sanctions list currently prevents him from doing so.
— Bruce Springsteen (@springsteen) April 19, 2023
According to CTV News, Mazepin is now heading to court in Canada to have his name removed from the country's sanctions list. The driver and his father, Dmitry Mazepin, are said to be among the 14 people considered to have links to the Russian regime under Putin
