The recent appearance of Russian magnate Dmitry Mazepin at the Formula 1 paddock during the F1 2025 pre-season testing in Bahrain has been clarified by a spokesperson for Mazepin as a “personal visit”. This unexpected return sparked intrigue in the racing community, given Mazepin’s prior investment in the sport and his friendship with Alpine Team Principal, Oliver Oakes.
Mazepin’s presence in Bahrain was initially reported by PlanetF1.com, who spotted the businessman during the three-day pre-season test. This sighting raised eyebrows, especially following the controversial dismissal of his son, Nikita Mazepin, from the American Haas team just weeks before the start of the 2022 season. The decision was made following a parting of ways between Haas and Uralkali, the Russian fertiliser company owned by Mazepin.
Despite existing sanctions on prominent Russian businessmen by the European Union and the United Kingdom, Bahrain’s exemption allowed Mazepin to freely walk the paddock in Sakhir. The reasons behind his visit remained shrouded in mystery, with the 56-year-old reported by PlanetF1.com to have used a rotational pass, bypassing the need for guest approval from any team, Formula 1, FIA, or the promoters at the Bahrain International Circuit.
In an attempt to clear the air, a spokesperson for Mazepin told Motorsport.com, “Dmitry was on a personal visit. He has remained friends with many people in the Formula 1 family and was happy to see them in Bahrain.” Adding to the intrigue, Mazepin was spotted in the hospitality unit of Mercedes, yet PlanetF1.com has confirmed he was not a guest of the Brackley-based team. His historical ties with Oakes also did not make him a guest of Alpine.
Mazepin’s relationship with Oakes dates back to his investment in Hitech GP, a junior racing team founded by Oakes that sought a spot on the F1 grid in 2023. Oakes, a former racing driver and one-time member of Red Bull’s junior academy, has been known to mentor Mazepin’s young son in karting.
Oakes spoke about Mazepin’s visit, saying, “I’ve said hello to him. I haven’t met him. He’s a friend of mine [and] I used to be together with him in Hitech. He was here catching up with another friend of his. It’s nice to see him.”
Speculation of a possible merger between the Renault-owned Alpine team and Hitech has been rife since Oakes’ appointment last year. Reports from Germany suggested that Hitech and its billionaire Kazakh-born investor, Vladimir Kim, were eager to enter F1 through the ‘Alpine route’ after their 2026 bid was rejected. Rumours continue to swirl about a potential sale of the Alpine team, amidst Renault’s decision to repurpose its historic F1 engine division in Viry-Chatillon, near Paris, in favour of a customer deal with Mercedes from 2026, a move seen as a simplification of potential future transactions.