P1racenews AI automatic summary:
After an absence of more than two years, and for highly controversial reasons, this was a surprise.
During the second day of the pre-season test at the Bahrain International Circuit, Dmitry Mazepin, father of former F1 driver Nikita and a previous title sponsor of Haas, made a surprising appearance in the paddock. Despite being sanctioned by the European Union and the United Kingdom due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in March 2022, Mazepin faced no such sanctions in the Middle East. This visit marked Mazepin’s first appearance in the F1 paddock since Haas terminated his son’s racing contract and cut ties with him following the sponsorship agreement. Nikita Mazepin’s tumultuous 2021 season with Haas led to the team taking action against the Mazepin family due to close links to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While Nikita successfully overturned EU sanctions in March 2024, his father’s attempts to lift sanctions were denied late last year. Mazepin’s recent visit to Mercedes and Alpine raised eyebrows, as the origin of his test pass remains unknown, leading F1 officials to investigate the circumstances surrounding his presence at the event.
