In a significant development, the European Court of Justice has annulled the political sanctions previously imposed on Nikita Mazepin, the former Formula 1 driver, effectively clearing his name of restrictions tied to his father’s affiliations with Vladimir Putin. This ruling heralds a potential turn in Mazepin’s fortunes, allowing him the freedom to travel, work, and potentially race again within Europe, rights that were suspended following the onset of the conflict in Ukraine which consequently halted his F1 journey.
A report by Tass, a Russian news agency, highlighted the court’s decision, noting that “the connection with his father, Dmitry Mazepin, was an insufficient basis for imposing sanctions.” This pivotal resolution paves the way for the lifting of restrictions on Mazepin’s personal assets, previously frozen under the sanctions regime, as detailed by RAPSI, an official Russian judicial entity, and corroborated by various Russian media outlets.
Mazepin expressed to Tass his satisfaction with the judicial process, stating he received a “fair hearing” and acknowledged the significance of this decision in his quest to overturn the sanctions, although he noted that the legal proceedings to fully lift the sanctions were still ongoing. He remarked, “I understand that the legal process for lifting sanctions has not yet been completed, but this is certainly an important milestone for me.”
Amidst these developments, Oksana Kosachenko, who previously managed Vitaly Petrov, another Russian ex-F1 driver, voiced her opinion that Mazepin should now take legal action against the Haas F1 team for what she perceives as wrongful termination of his contract. Speaking to Kommersant, a Russian daily business paper, Kosachenko argued, “I think the next completely logical step would be to make mandatory demands on the Haas team, which unilaterally terminated its contracts with Mazepin.” She further elaborated that Mazepin is entitled to “some kind of compensation for moral damage and, of course, financial compensation,” emphasizing the extensive resources athletes invest to compete at the world championship level.
GMM
