The European Union has announced that Mazepin, a 25-year-old racing driver, has been added to its list of sanctions. This decision was made due to his association with his father, Dmitry, who is a prominent businessman and reportedly the main sponsor of his son’s racing activities. Previously, the European Union had described Dmitry Mazepin as being part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle. However, in a recent ruling, the court stated that Mazepin is no longer a driver for the Haas F1 racing team. As a result, the EU was deemed incorrect in keeping him on the sanctions list after his departure from the team. The court explained that the “association” criterion used in the EU sanctions regime requires a connection that goes beyond a simple family relationship, which is no longer the case for Mazepin since he stopped racing in F1. Mazepin expressed his satisfaction with the ruling, stating that it is a significant milestone for him. He has also challenged EU and Canadian sanctions as part of his efforts to return to F1. Currently, he is competing in the Asian Le Mans series, a lesser-known racing league held in the United Arab Emirates and Malaysia. The Mazepins have reportedly shown interest in establishing their own team, but their bid to become the 11th team was not approved by the FIA F1’s ruling body. Instead, Andretti Global was given the opportunity. The likelihood of 25-year-old Nikita being hired by an existing team is slim. When asked about Mazepin’s plans to return to F1, his aide did not immediately respond. Last month, diplomatic sources revealed that the EU was preparing to lift sanctions on Mazepin, with Hungary reportedly advocating on his behalf.
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