Discarded F1 driver Nikita Mazepin and his father, Dmitry, have reportedly figured out a way to bring the youngster back to the pinnacle of motorsport racing.
A number of new projects are set to enter the world of F1 soon and Dmitry Mazepin is plotting a way to make a comeback and bring his son along for the ride.
Nikita was dispensed by Haas after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine meant the team ended its association with his dad Dmitry’s company Uralkali, which was serving as its main sponsor.
While F1 is a sport where talent is rewarded, finding a full-time seat is often dictated by the sponsors a driver can bring. In that sense, when your family member is loaded, entry becomes a great deal easier.
There are enough examples of this present already on the track and in many ways, Nikita would not seem like the odd one out in that sense.
Russian outlet Ria Novosti has claimed that the Mazepin family has turned its focus to a new F1 team after Nikita even tried his luck at spinning tracks as a DJ.
The news was elaborated by journalist Maria Melnikova, who said: “Yesterday, I had an interesting conversation with an unnamed source close to Mazepin.
“It was about the fact that Dmitry Mazepin has not given up the idea of starting his own team in Formula 1 and is ready to invest in a new project.”
Dmitry earlier had shares in Hitech, a team that operates in F2 and F3.
However, following the fallout with Haas, he had reportedly sold these.
His relationship with team owner Oliver Oakes is still believed to be good, which could facilitate an entry point.
The FIA has a rule in place that allows Russian and Belarusian drivers compete under a neutral flag and this is also an option that Nikita is likely to take.
He felt he was betrayed by Haas in the manner that his contract was abruptly terminated and has spoken in the past about his desire to return to F1.
A number of opportunities are expected to be in the offering for Nikita, especially if Dmitry is willing to make the required investment.
F1 has a plan of growing bigger and bigger to include more teams in the sport, and while this has had its opposition from certain teams currently on the grid, it is unlikely that the playing field will get any smaller in years to come.
Do you think Nikita Mazepin deserves another chance in F1? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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