Dropped from F1 and sanctioned by the EU, Mazepin fought back legally, winning in court but losing millions and a racing future.
Former Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin says the sudden end to his racing career cost him “several million dollars”, a fallout from international sanctions that targeted him in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mazepin was dropped by the Haas F1 Team in early 2022, just as the conflict began. The decision followed EU sanctions that named him directly, due to his ties to his father, Dmitry Mazepin, a Russian businessman with close links to the Kremlin. The younger Mazepin was also barred from competing in other series under the EU’s restrictions.
But after nearly two years of legal battles, he successfully challenged the sanctions and had them overturned.
“European constitutional law makes it clear—you can’t just sanction someone like that,” Mazepin said. “The EU claimed I was connected to my father’s business activities. But that simply wasn’t true.”
Sanctions, Silence, and Mazepin’s Millions
Dmitry Mazepin, founder of chemical giant Uralkali, was one of several Russian oligarchs sanctioned due to their proximity to President Vladimir Putin and the potential role their companies might play in funding the Russian state.
“My father built his company from the ground up. He pays a lot of taxes in Russia,” Nikita explained. “The EU argued that tax revenue from his business was being used to support government actions they deemed unlawful. But we made it clear: I’m a separate person. I’m not involved in his business.”
“Family ties alone aren’t enough to justify sanctions. That’s what the court eventually agreed with.”
Although Mazepin cleared his name legally, the damage was already done. His career was derailed, and his hopes of returning to F1 are slim.
“I lost a long-term contract with Haas that was worth millions and would have grown every year,” he said. “I also had assets in Europe that were frozen—some of them I never got back.”
One of those assets? A villa in Italy, which he says he still can’t access.
Now 25, Mazepin is still fighting to rebuild his life and reputation—but he knows Formula 1 may be out of reach for good.
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Mazepin: Sanctions Cost Me Millions, Not Just F1
Mazepin: Sanctions Cost Me Millions, Not Just F1
