Formula 1: Who is buying Force India? A full rundown
By Kevin Nguyen
Dmitry Mazepin
Who: Dmitry Mazepin is a Russian businessman and CEO of Uralchem Integrated Chemicals Company. He has a personal net worth of $1.3 billion with a total net worth of $7.1 billion when including his company, according to Forbes. He i the father of GP3 driver Nikita Mazepin.
Likelihood of buying: High. Mazepin’s net worth and his son’s established connection with Force India as their test driver make the Russian the main player in the Force India sweepstakes. With a net worth nearly three times that of Lawrence Stroll, the elder Mazepin could buy the team with little resistance.
In addition, should Mazepin buy Force India, it would put a Russian team on the grid for the first time since 2015 when Manor Racing operated as Marussia, which they did from the 2012 season through the 2015 season.
It would also lend some legitimacy to the Russian Grand Prix by establishing the race as an established team’s home race rather than a money-grabbing race, which is what it is currently seen as by several fans and pundits.
Why: Some publications have declared that Mazepin is buying Force India to ensure that his son gets a Formula 1 ride. That might be enough, though, for Mazepin, as the Russian doesn’t appear to have any other ties to motorsport other than his son. However, if his only reason for buying Force India is to ensure his son a ride, that could set a dangerous precedent of private buyers buying teams and installing their own drivers, which could dilute the Formula 1 talent pool.