Mazepin wins on European return as Ukraine challenges FIA
The FIA has not yet publicly responded to the complaint
Nikita Mazepin has made an emphatic return to European racing just days after the FIA lifted restrictions on Russian competitors.
The former Haas driver raced a Mercedes-AMG GT3 for Team Motopark in the Spezial Tourenwagen Trophy at Spa-Francorchamps, a relatively low-level German-based series.
Mazepin took pole for the first race by more than four seconds and won by over 16 seconds, before completing the weekend with another pole and victory on Sunday.
His return comes immediately after the FIA removed the neutrality requirements introduced following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, allowing Russian competitors to race again under their national identity.
But the decision remains highly controversial.
The Automobile Federation of Ukraine has now lodged a formal complaint with the FIA Ethics Committee against the Russian Automobile Federation, alleging that it operates offices in Crimea, Sevastopol, Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia - territories internationally recognised as Ukrainian.
The Ukrainian federation argues that this breaches FIA statutes governing the authority of national sporting bodies.
The FIA has not yet publicly responded to the complaint.