Nikita Mazepin is hellbent on returning to Formula One, with the exiled former Haas driver taking the Canadian government to court over sanctions imposed on him as a Russian athlete in May 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mazepin is seeking for Canada’s Federal Court to direct Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly to remove him from the Canadian sanctions list, which also includes his father Dmitry and former Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich as people considered to be oligarchs or close associates of the Russian regimen.
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Mazepin is also seeking an interim order to allow him to race in Canada, with his current status preventing him from working in Canada or with Canadians.
Section 8 of Canada’s Special Economic Measures Regulations with respect to Russia allows for a “designated person” to apply for the removal of their name from the sanctions list, and requires the Minister to “give notice without delay to the applicant of the decision taken.”
Mazepin’s notice of application says he is “a young sportsman and professional motorsport driver who is in no way involved in the aggression suffered by Ukraine,” nor engaged in economic activity that provides substantial revenue to the Russian state.
The application claims that sanctions preventing him from dealing in Canada or with Canadians “catastrophically reduce” his eligibility for a return to the Formula One grid next year, with the Canadian Grand Prix being part of the Formula One World Championship since 1967 and contracted until 2031.
The European Union have also brought similar sanctions against Mazepin, but he has been since granted interim relief by the EU General Court, with a judge stating that given the average length of a Formula One driver’s career, a lengthy litigation to lift sanctions would irreparably damage Mazepin’s career.
Sanctions were placed on prominent members of Russian society by countries all over the world, cutting the Eastern European nation from most of the West after Vladmir Putin’s move on Ukraine.
Mazepin’s application to be taken off the sanctions list was first filed in December of last year, and his notice of application argues that the Minister failed to observe principles of natural justice by not providing him an opportunity to be heard on the original listing decision, or provide him with reasons for the sanctions.
Mazepin joined American backmarker outfit Haas in 2021 amid a grave financial situation for the struggling team, with his signing also bringing with it a change of title sponsor to Russian fertiliser producer Uralkali, in which his father Dmitry held a $5.6 billion stake, as well as a change of livery to the colours of the Russian flag.
Mazepin’s stint in Formula One is universally considered deeply unsuccessful, with the former Formula 2 race winner not earning a point across 22 starts.
While “pay drivers” are not new to the astronomically expensive sport of Formula One, Mazepin’s failures through 2021 were almost comical, with the F1 world nicknaming him “Mazespin” for his consistent habit of sending the car off the track, sometimes in the most innocuous of corners.
Across 22 starts, Mazespin finished dead last in all bar four of his attempts, only once beating anyone that wasn’t his teammate, German Mick Schumacher.
His tenure off-track was as controversial as it was on the track, with the then-21 year old posting an Instagram story in December 2020 appearing to grope a woman’s breasts.
Haas F1 called the video “abhorrent” at the time, and Mazepin apologised publicly, saying he “let (himself) and many people down.”
Haas F1 terminated his contract after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, removing the Russian colours from the car’s livery and Uralkali as title sponsor.
Following his dismissal from Formula One, Mazepin created a foundation called “We Compete as One”, supporting athletes excluded for “political reasons”, after suing Haas for unpaid wages and blaming “cancel culture” for his axing.
Since his departure from the Formula One grid, Mazepin has since begun competing in the Asian Le Mans Series for 99 Racing, putting an Oreca LMP2 car on the podium at the opening round in Dubai.
