#9 Nikita Mazepin

Mazepin’s first taste of open-wheel racing came in the 2014-15 MRF Challenge Formula 2000 where he earned his first podium finish before going on to contest the 2015 Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series.

He then made a select number of starts in 2016 in the Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 series and BRDC British F3 Championship, but his full-time focus that season was the FIA Formula 3 European Championship – competing for Hitech GP. In addition to his racing campaign, Mazepin was announced as a development driver for the Force India Formula 1 team.

A second season in the FIA Formula 3 European Championship followed in 2017, Mazepin collecting three podiums along the way to finish 10th overall. A debut run in a Formula 1 car was a standout moment that season, Mazepin testing with Force India at the Hungaroring in August of that year.

For 2018 there was a switch of teams and series with Mazepin contesting the GP3 Series with ART Grand Prix. Four race wins and eight podiums saw Mazepin finish runner-up in the championship which led to his graduation to the FIA Formula 2 Championship, remaining with ART Grand Prix, for 2019. His rookie season in F2 was combined with another opportunity to sample a Formula 1 car – this time with the all-conquering Mercedes outfit. Mazepin topped the test times in Barcelona in May 2019.

A return to Hitech Grand Prix saw Mazepin compete in the 2019-2020 F3 Asian Championship – netting one win and four podiums to finish third overall. Another full-team season in the FIA Formula 2 Championship followed with Hitech Grand Prix. A stellar season was rewarded with Feature Race victories at Silverstone and Mugello with six additional podiums recorded. Mazepin finished fifth overall in the hotly contested Formula 1 feeder series.

On Tuesday 1st December 2020 Mazepin was announced as a Formula 1 driver with Haas F1 Team - forming part of an all-rookie line-up alongside fellow F2 competitor Mick Schumacher.