Nikita Mazepin has signed a “multi-year” deal to race for the Haas team and will make🔥 his Formula 1 🍰debut in 2021.

The Russian currently sits third in the Formula 2 cham💯pionship standings heading into this weekend’s season finale in Bahrain and requ♑ires a top-seven finish in order to obtain an FIA superlicence.

Mazepin has claimed two victories and a total of six podiums in his second season in F2 with Hitech Grand Prixꦫ and has previously carried out F1 tests with Racing Point and Mercedes.

“Becoming a Formula🐲 1 driver is a lifelong dream come true for me,” Mazepin said.

“I really appreciate the trust being put in me by Gene Haas, Guenther Steiner, and the whole of the teꩵam. They’re giving a young driver an opportunity and I thank them for that.

“𒈔I’m looking forward to starting our relationship together, both on and off the track, and I’m naturally keen to continue to demonstrate my abilities after a strong Formula 2 season.

“The team willꦇ be looking to me for feedback and inputs in order to refine its package for 2021 and beyond. I will take that responsibility on and can’t wait to get started.”

The 21-year-old, who finished runner-up in the 2018 GP3 series, also topp🥃ed a 2019 🌞in-season testing session in Barcelona for Mercedes.

“I’m delighted that Nikita Mazepin will be driving for Haas F1 Team next season,” added Haas team ♏princi𝓰pal Guenther Steiner.

“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.

“He’s developed into a mature racer moving up through theꦫ 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.

“I’m excited to see what Nikita can achieve in Formula 1 and we look forward to giving 🌌him the opportunity to compete at the highest level of world motorsport. With a record-setting 23 race schedule set for the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, he’s going to get plenty of track action to learn all the nuances of grand prix racing.”

Haas will announce who will partner Mazepin before the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on 13 December but it is widely expected that current F2 c﷽hampionship leader Mick Schumacher will land the seat.