Nikita Mazepin, son of Russian oligarch with close ties to Vladimir Putin, allowed to compete in this season’s F1

Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin, the son of a Russian oligarch with close ties to Vladimir Putin, has been allowed to compete in this season’s F1 championship under a neutral flag.

The FIA called an emergency meeting to determine the fate of Mazepin after the International Olympic Committee – of which the FIA is a member – recommended sports bans for all Russian and Belarusian athletes from international events.

UEFA and FIFA have already suspended Russia from all club and national football fixtures, while F1 cancelled the Russian Grand Prix which was due to take place in Sochi in September.

There had been an expectation that Mazepin, widely considered the worst driver on the grid, would be barred from competing but the FIA have decided to allow Russian and Belarusian drivers to continue under certain provisos.

A statement on Tuesday evening confirmed: ‘Russian/Belarusian drivers, individual competitors and officials to participate in international/zone competitions only in their neutral capacity and under the “FIA flag”, subject to specific commitment and adherence to the FIA’s principles of peace and political neutrality, until further notice.

‘No Russian/Belarusian national symbols, colours, flags (uniform, equipment and car) should be displayed or anthems should be played at international/zone competitions, until further notice.’

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Mazepin’s father Dmitry is an oligarch with close links to Putin and attended a one-to-one meeting with the Russian President on the same day he launched a military