Nikita Mazepin will drive for Haas F1 team next year in Formula 1, the team announced Dec. 1.
The news comes after Haas announced that Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean would not return to Haas in 2021. Grosjean is currently recovering from injuries he sustained in a crash at the Bahrain Grand Prix.
“I’m delighted that Nikita Mazepin will be driving for Haas F1 Team next season,” Guenther Steiner, team principal of Haas, said in a release. “Nikita has underlined his credentials in Formula 2 this year with a brace of victories and a handful of podiums in what’s been a strong sophomore season for him. He’s developed into a mature racer moving up through the junior ranks – notably most recently in the GP3 Series, where he finished runner-up in 2018, and obviously in Formula 2 over the past two seasons.”
Mazepin currently competes in Formula 2 and two victories and six podiums. He’s ranked third in the point standings.
“Becoming a Formula 1 driver is a lifelong dream come true for me,” Mazepin said. “I really appreciate the trust being put in me by Gene Haas, Guenther Steiner and the whole of the team. They’re giving a young driver an opportunity and I thank them for that. I’m looking forward to starting our relationship together, both on and off the track, and I’m naturally keen to continue to demonstrate my abilities after a strong Formula 2 season.”
Haas has yet to reveal who will join the Russian next season.
Joy joined Frontstretch in 2019 as a NASCAR DraftKings writer, expanding to news and iRacing coverage in 2020. She's currently an assistant editor and involved with photos, social media and news editing. A California native, Joy was raised watching motorsports and started watching NASCAR extensively in 2001. She earned her B.A. degree in Liberal Studies at California State University Bakersfield in 2010.