Italian Authorities “seize” potentially €105m of assets from the ex-Haas driver, Nikita Mazepin, and father, Dmitry Mazepin

Italian Authorities “seize” potentially €105m of assets from the ex-Haas driver, Nikita Mazepin, and father, Dmitry Mazepin

Nikita Mazepin

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the last week of February 2022, Haas terminated the contract of its Russian stakeholders- the sponsor Uralkali and the driver Nikita Mazepin. Uralkali was brought in by Mazepin, owing to a large stake of his father, Dmitry Mazepin. It was this sponsorship that also got Nikita a seat in F1.

Haas’ decision was welcomed by fans worldwide. They got rid of the branding of Uralkali branding from the cars even as they were hitting the tracks in Bahrain for pre-season testing. However, the team is yet to find a sponsor.

Now, as per Reuters, the Italian authorities have seized the property worth nearly 105 million Euros of Nikita Mazepin and his father, Dmitry Mazepin, who is believed to be a close aid of the Russian President, Vladimir Putin. The authorities targeted their villa Rocky Ram, located in the north of the island of Sardinia. This comes as the countries are tightening the sanctions imposed on the oligarchs.

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Nikita Mazepin believes sanctions to be “cancel culture” against athletes

Nikita Mazepin
Nikita Mazepin

In an interview, Nikita said the sanctions imposed by international sporting bodies are like cancel culture against the athletes of Russia. He said, “I don’t agree with being in the sanctions, and I have said previously that I intend to fight it.”

He added, “Perhaps now is not the right time because if you look at the whole situation that is happening against athletes in the general case, it is cancel culture against my country.”

Other than FIA, and amongst many, FIFA has also imposed sanctions on Russia. While the Russian athletes were already competing under their federation body flags and at neutral venues after Russia was banned due to a doping scandal, the sanctions this time have come in stronger and more stringent.

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