Formula One – Haas F1 Team: Who is Nikita Mazepin?
Russian driver, Nikita Mazepin, will make his F1 debut after he was selected to drive for Haas F1 Team in 2021, partnering up with Mick Schumacher next season.
Born on March 2, 1999, the 21 year old Russian only started racing professionally in 2011 – according to Driver Database – where he took part in the 22° Trofeo Andrea Margutti (60 mini) karting championship.
Mazepin failed to score a single point and finished 27th.
The Russian driver took part in many Karting championships during his early career, scoring his first points in the 2012 WSK Euro Series where he scored 14pts and finished 22nd.
He moved up from Karting in 2015 as he drove for Josef Kaufmann Racing in the Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup, as he finished 12th with 125.5pts after 16 races where he scored a single podium.
After driving in the Formula 2000 series, Mazepin moved up into the Formula Three championship in 2016.
However, the Russian only managed to obtain 10pts with Hitech Grand Prix that left him in 20th. But the following season was better for Mazepin as he secured 10th in the standings with 108pts.
He graduated into Formula Two in 2019 after he finished as the runner-up in the 2018 GP3 series with 198pts for ART Grand Prix.
In his first season in F2, for ART, Mazepin only managed to finish 18th in the 2019 standings with 11pts.
But this season, the Russian youngster currently holds third with 162 points – 43pts behind current championship leader, and future teammate, Schumacher, who is on 205pts.
In 2021, Mazepin will be sat alongside Mick Schumacher as the confirmed Haas duo to replace current drivers Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen.