Mazepin says next Russian F1 driver 'will be me'

Jan.23 (GMM) Nikita Mazepin thinks the next Russian driver in Formula 1 could be him.

The former Haas driver and his sponsor Uralkali were expelled by the team and sanctioned by the FIA and European states at the outbreak of the Ukraine crisis in early 2022.

This week, the 25-year-old says motor racing is now just a “hobby”.

However, if F1’s door ever re-opens to Russia, Mazepin thinks he is the lead candidate.

“I’m 25 now,” he told Forbes Russia. “I think if a Russian appears in Formula 1 in the next seven years, it will be me. Because if someone calls me and says that I have to get behind the wheel in four months, there will be no problem.

“And I will definitely be in perfect athletic shape until I’m 32 at the very least,” added Mazepin, who is currently training for triathlon whilst also preparing to contest the Silk Way Rally.

“Right now, I’m better prepared than when I debuted in Formula 1. And my lack of relevant experience in these prototypes is very quickly fixable. So I think that if you see a Russian in F1 in the near future, it will be a person with my first and last name,” he smiled.