F1 News
Mazepin hits back after 'big mistake': 'I'll never get those years back'
Ex-F1 driver Nikita Mazepin has revealed his future plans on his social media. The former Haas driver, who only spent one season in the sport before leaving due to the Russian conflict with Ukraine, recently shared a big update regarding his general feelings and future plans.
Mazepin competed for Haas F1 in the 2021 Formula 1 season. His father, Dmitry Mazepin, was the chairman of Uralkali, the company that was the title sponsor of Haas at the time. As a result of the war between Russia and Ukraine, Mazepin was first banned from the British Grand Prix by organisers before all Russian athletes were placed on a sanctions list. In simple terms, this meant exclusion from participation in all sports in Europe. As a result, Mazepin had to say farewell to Formula 1 before the start of the 2022 season, which he was set to race contractually. Kevin Magnussen was soon declared his replacement and had a solid 2022 season. The Dane even secured a memorable pole position for the Brazilian Grand Prix.
During his time in F1, the controversial figure didn't manage to score any points. His best finish came in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he finished in 14th place. The 2021 Haas car was by far the worst on the grid, but Mazepin was consistently outperformed by his teammate at the time, Mick Schumacher.
Mazepin writes a long message on socials:
More than two years after his last involvement with Formula 1, the Russian shared a message with his followers on Instagram. "It has been more than two long years, and the courts have rendered their decision in my favour. Of course, I am elated. At the same time, I ask myself what was it all for – to be sanctioned at a vital point in my career, only to have the European court decide that it was all a giant mistake," Mazepin writes.
The former Haas driver also struggled to see his ex-F1 colleagues develop without him. He had to continue watching on the sidelines, even though it wasn't his fault: "It has been painful to watch everyone at F1 moving forward and to not be a part of it. Vindication in the courts is sweet, but the truth is that I can’t get those years back…those essential years in the life and development of any professional athlete."
Since his time in Formula 1, Mazepin has competed in the Asian Le Mans Series in the LMP2 class, enjoying moderate success. On his social media, you can also see his involvement with Russian rallying as well as motocross events.
The Russian looks to the future:
Finally, Mazepin shared his future plans with those who followed him. Despite his love for motorsport, the driver is currently preferring to take time to work on himself: "The time has come to write the next act of my life as an adult, with dreams tied, not to speed and trophies, but to applying my mind, and to finding my purpose. This will come with completing my education, working hard, and taking good care of my spirit along the way." Mazepin concluded.
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This article was written in collaboration with Tim Kraaij
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