How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever
Two months ago, Nikita Mazepin had tremendous wealth and a coveted position in a sport with surging popularity. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has upended all of that.
Italian authorities seized $113.7 million in property owned by Mazepin and his father, Dmitry. Mazepin was a driver for Formula 1 team Haas until his contract was terminated in March due to the invasion.
Mazepin was driving on a salary believed to be worth $2 million annually.
Haas also ended its sponsorship with Uralkali, a Russian fertilizer company part-owned by Dmitry Mazepin’s Uralchem.
Dmitry Mazepin was described as “a member of the closest circle of Vladimir Putin,” by the European Union, which sanctioned both the driver and the oligarch. Authorities targeted a property known as Rocky Ram on the island of Sardinia.
FIA, F1’s governing body, issued rules allowing Russian and Belarusian drivers to race under a neutral flag if they do not make statements supporting the invasion.
