F2 racer Nikita Mazepin signs multi-year deal with Haas

London [UK], December 1 (ANI): Russian Formula 2 driver Nikita Mazepin is all set to make his Formula 1 debut as he signed a multi-year deal with Haas on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old currently sits third overall in the F2 championship with one round to go, having taken two victories and four other podiums in his second campaign.
He has joined Haas having tested for Force India in 2016, 2017, and 2018, as well as world champions Mercedes in 2019.
"I'm delighted that Nikita Mazepin will be driving for Haas F1 Team next season. Nikita has underlined his credentials in Formula 2 this year with a brace of victories and a handful of podiums in what's been a strong sophomore season for him," said Haas Team Principal Guenther Steiner in an official release.
"He's developed into a mature racer moving up through the junior ranks - notably most recently in the GP3 Series, where he finished runner-up in 2018, and obviously in Formula 2 over the past two seasons," he added.
Mazepin had started racing single-seaters in 2015, competing in Formula Renault 2.0 before spending two years competing in European F3.
He stepped into GP3 for 2018, finishing second overall with four wins. A step up to F2 followed, first with ART then with Hitech.
Mazepin will now become the fourth Russian to race in F1, after Vitaly Petrov, Sergey Sirotkin, and Daniil Kvyat. Haas have yet to announce who will partner him at the team next season. (ANI)