Mazepin preparing for motor racing return

Nikita Mazepin could be preparing for his return to circuit-based premier motor racing in February.

The Russian, ousted by Haas along with his controversial father and sponsor Dmitry (Uralkali) over the Ukraine conflict, won in his category in the Russian Silk Way Rally in November.

And according to Endurance-Info, the 23-year-old will take part in the forthcoming Asian Le Mans Series championship in February.

Mazepin will reportedly join new entrant 99 Racing for the two endurance races in February - the first in Dubai and the second in Abu Dhabi.

The Asian Le Mans series is organised by Le Mans sanctioning body the Automobile Club de l’Ouest.

Mazepin is not yet confirming the news.

"I plan to compete in a new discipline outside of Russia," he told the Russian source Championat.

"I hope that it will be possible to talk more specifically about it in January."

Mazepin has denied that his next venture will be the Dakar Rally.

"Too difficult," he said. "There are a lot of problems there and it simply makes no sense to list them all."

The 23-year-old is also still not ruling out an eventual return to Formula 1.

"I had a plan this year to perform better than Mick (Schumacher)," said Mazepin. "But I really do not like these conversations, when you have to talk about hypotheticals.

"But if you look at the final day of testing in Barcelona, my last day in Formula 1, I was faster than him. Would it have worked out over the whole season?

"I hope to put everything in its right place in the future," he added.