Sanctioned Russian racing driver in latest round of High Court fight

Nikita Mazepin, 24, who used to race in F1 for Haas, wants sanctions lifted and has taken legal action against Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

Russian racing driver Nikita Mazepin (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)

Russian racing driver Nikita Mazepin has begun the latest round of a High Court fight with British government ministers after being made subject to sanctions in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mazepin, 24, used to race in Formula 1 for Haas and is looking for a new team.

He wants sanctions lifted and has taken legal action against Foreign Secretary James Cleverly.

A judge is due to oversee a trial on July 19.

Lawyers representing Mazepin on Thursday asked Mr Justice Linden, at a High Court hearing in London, to suspend sanctions in the interim so he could begin negotiations with Formula 1 teams as soon as possible.

Government lawyers say Mazepin’s application for “interim relief” should be refused.

Judges have heard that Mazepin and his father Dmitry Mazepin – a Russian businessman – had been made subject to sanctions in mid-March 2022.

They have heard how Haas had “terminated its relationship” with Mazepin in early March 2022, following the outbreak of war in Ukraine, and he had not driven for a Formula 1 team since.

Mazepin and his father were “subject to an asset freeze and travel ban”, judges have heard.