Nikita Mazepin signs ‘multi-year’ F1 deal to race for Haas
Nikita Mazepin has signed a “multi-year” deal to race forꦛ the Haas t𝐆eam and will make his Formula 1 debut in 2021.
The Russian currently sits third in the Formula 2 championship standings heading into this weekend’s season finale in Bahrain and reꦕquires a top-seven finish in order to obtain an FIA superlicen🦂ce.
Mazepin has claimed two victories and a total of six podiums in his second season in F2 with Hitech Grand Prix and has previously carried out F1 tests with Racing Point🎉 and Mercedes.
“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 natu✤rally keen to continue to demonstrate my abilities after a strong Formul🌃a 2 season.
“The team will be looking to me for feedback and inputs in order to refine its package for 2021 and beyond. I will take that responsibility on and cꦺan’t wait to get started.”
The 21-year-old, who finished runner-up in the 2018 GP3 series, also topped a 2019 in-seas𝓀on testing session in Barcelona for Mercedes.
“I’m del🔯ighted that Nikita Mazepin will be driving for Haas F1 Team next season,” added Haas team principal Guenther Steiner.
“Nikita has underlined his credentials in Formula 2 this year with a brace of victories and a handful oℱf podiums in what’s been a strong sophomore season for him.
“He’s develop𓆏ed 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.
“I’m excited to see what Nikita can achieve in Formula 1 and we look forward to giving him the opport𒁃unity to compete at the highest level of world motorsport. With a record-setting 23 race schedule set for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, he’s going to get plenty of track action to learn all the nuances of grand prix racing.”
Haas will announce who will partner Mazepin before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 13 December but it is widely expected that current F2 championship leader Mick Schꩲumacher will land the seat.
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