Nikita Mazepin, a former Formula One driver, has successfully appealed the European Union’s sanctions placed on him in light of Russia’s aggression towards Ukraine. The EU had included the 25-year-old Russian on their list of sanctions due to his father, Dmitry, who was deemed a key financial supporter of Nikita’s racing career and was closely associated with Russian president Vladimir Putin.

But in Wednesday’s ruling, the general court said Mazepin had stopped being a driver for Haas, meaning the EU was wrong to keep him on its sanctions list after he was sacked by the team in March 2022.

According to the court ruling, the “association” factor of the EU sanctions system necessitates a connection that goes beyond a mere family tie. It was determined that this was not the case when Mazepin left F1 after only 21 races.

In a statement, Mazepin expressed great encouragement over the ruling made today and offered gratitude to the European Court for conducting a fair trial for his case. He also noted that this is a significant milestone.

Mazepin is currently appealing against EU and Canadian sanctions in hopes of being able to compete in Formula 1 again. Currently, he is participating in the Asian Le Mans series, competing in events held in the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia.

It is uncertain whether Mazepin has future plans in F1. The FIA, which regulates the sport, has announced that both Russian and Belarusian racers may still compete with a neutral status.

Source: theguardian.com