Nikita Mazepin to fight 'cancel culture' sanctions
The sacked Russian Formula 1 driver says he will fight the measures - but "probably not" now.
Former Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin, who lost his job with Haas after Russia鈥檚 invasion of Ukraine, has spoken to the 蜜芽传媒 Hardtalk programme about sanctions against Russian sportsmen and women.
The 23-year-old was dismissed by his US-based team days before the EU included him and his oligarch father, Dmitry Mazepin, on a list of Russians sanctioned as a result of the invasion. Both are also sanctioned by the UK.
The EU sanctions list describes Dmitry Mazepin, who has funded his son鈥檚 motorsports career, as 鈥渁 member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin鈥�.
It says Nikita Mazepin is a 鈥減erson associated with a leading businessperson [his father] involved in economic sectors providing a substantial source of revenue to the government of the Russian Federation".
Speaking to Stephen Sackur from Moscow, the driver described the sanctions as 鈥渃ancel culture against my country鈥�.
Mazepin said he did not agree with the sanctions, and would fight them, but now was probably not the right time.
