Will Nikita Mazepin be forced to leave Formula 1 after all?

Could Nikita Mazepin be forced to leave Formula 1 due to Russia’s military requirements for men between the ages of 18 and 27?

Rookie Nikita Mazepin was able to retain his Formula 1 drive with Haas after a tumultuous offseason saw him land himself in hot water for another off-track issue, something all too familiar for the 22-year-old Russian.

The start of his rookie campaign was a disaster as well, as he earned the nickname “Mazespin” with several early spins and crashes.

Through the first six races of his career, his top finish is a 14th place result in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit.

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But now, could Mazepin be forced to leave the sport for another reason that has nothing to do with his off-track behavior or his on-track performance: military service?

According to Nikita’s billionaire father Dmitry, the majority shareholder of Haas title sponsor Uralkali and the key reason that Nikita competes in Formula 1, Nikita has been notified that he must join the army. All Russian men between the ages of 18 and 27 must complete one year of military service or suffer a two-year spell in jail.

There are exceptions, but Nikita does not fit any of them as a Formula 1 driver. Exceptions include rural doctors and teachers, men who have a child younger than three years, and full-time students who graduated from civil university and had military education as a subject.

Here is what Dmitry had to say about the matter to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.

"“Nikita has 23 races, and they tell him that he needs to join the army. They told him he had to be present at the training camp regularly. There would be no exceptions. He has a race every two weeks. How does he do it? Who do I ask this question to? And I’m not talking about Nikita Mazepin alone but about everyone: athletes and professionals in the same situation. The issue of education and sports is relevant.”"

But Nikita, who doesn’t technically compete under the Russian flag due to the country’s doping scandal, explained the situation and addressed the rumor, noting that he has already been studying at the military department for two years. So he is effectively fulfilling that requirement alongside his studies at Moscow State University.

"“In Russia, military service is compulsory for everyone who is fit for it. There are two options. The first is that you graduate from university and serve for one year, and the second is the military department, if your physical training and academic results are good enough.“In the case of the military department, you study one day a week to be a reserve officer. The training period is three years, but everything happens in the classroom. I have been studying at the military department for two years now, so there is another year ahead. After that, I would like to believe that I will become a reserve officer.”"

Russia’s most recent Formula 1 driver aside from Mazepin, Daniil Kvyat, was able to avoid military service because he lived outside of Russia.

The next race on the 2021 Formula 1 schedule is the French Grand Prix, which is set to be broadcast live on ESPN from Circuit Paul Ricard beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET on Sunday, June 20.