Source: USA TODAY Sports /Jerome Miron
[Saba Sports News] Former Haas F1 driver Nikita Mazepin officially announced via social media that he will end his racing career to focus on personal development and growth. Thanks to the support of his father, Dmitry Mazepin, this Russian driver joined the Haas F1 team in 2021, with his family’s company, Uralchem, serving as the team’s title sponsor at that time. However, due to limitations in team resources and car competitiveness, Nikita Mazepin did not achieve ideal results in the 2021 season, with his best finish being 14th place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, international sanctions were imposed on Russia, which led to Nikita Mazepin being banned from F1 racing, and his contract with Haas was terminated before the start of the 2022 season. Since then, he has not secured a seat with any other Formula 1 team and has only been able to hone his driving skills in other racing fields such as the Asian Le Mans Series, Russian Rally Championship, and off-road motorcycle events. Although F1 lifted sanctions against Mazepin in May this year, no F1 teams have offered him a chance to join due to political considerations. With no hope of returning to F1, Nikita Mazepin ultimately chose to end his racing career.