02/10/2021
NEWS STORY
Nikita Mazepin is enrolled on a three-year course at Moscow State University, which will hopefully see him graduate as a reserve officer, thereby avoiding the draft.
Avoiding the draft in Russia is a criminal offence, punishable by up to two years in prison, and even F1 drivers are not exempt.
However, since 2008, full-time students who have graduated from civil university with a military education are exempted from duty.
Consequently, Nikita Mazepin is enrolled on three-year course at Moscow State University, which will hopefully see him graduate as a reserve officer.
Speaking to Russian TV's 50 Questions, the Haas driver explained: "Ilya Vyacheslavovich, the dean of my faculty, found time to personally present me with a diploma of completion of my bachelor's degree.
"It is important to get support from the university," he added. "I was at the university today, because I had lectures, I am studying for a master's degree.
"Did I get any marks just because I am a Formula 1 driver? No!” he insisted "It's hard to tell what other people have in their heads. But several times I had problems due to omissions, bad grades in some subjects. And I understood that this was a chance to fly out.
"Sport does not last forever," he continued. "I sincerely believe that, say, at the age of 30, when the career of a Formula 1 racer leaves its peak, life is just beginning.
"I grew up in a family where my mother graduated from Moscow State University, my father graduated from MGIMO, so, honestly, there was never a question about 'not studying.
"Things are not bad, the school year has just resumed. I'm not in the army, I'm in the military department, I have to finish this year, so I look forward to the summer, because we will have training camps somewhere in Balashikha. I will need to live in the barracks for a month."
However, Mazepin Snr isn't quite so happy, felling that his son should be exempt.
"Nikita has 23 races, and they tell him that he needs to join the army," said Dmitry Mazepin, according to RT.com "They told him he had to be present at the training camp regularly. There would be no exceptions.
"He has a race every two weeks. How does he do it? Who do I ask this question to? And I'm not talking about Nikita alone but about everyone, athletes and professionals in the same situation. The issue of education and sports is relevant."