Russian racing driver Nikita Mazepin has overturned European Union sanctions imposed as part of the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mazepin, who drove in Formula 1 for Haas in 2021, and his father had assets frozen and were given a travel ban.

His father, billionaire businessman Dmitry Mazepin, was deemed a close associate of president Vladimir Putin.

But the EU’s general court said the link to his father is not enough for the driver to remain on sanction lists.

It said the “association” criteria used in the sanctions requires the existence of a link beyond a simple family relationship.

The 25-year-old was also sanctioned by the UK and Canada in March 2022 – sanctions which remain in place. He is also challenging those rulings in the hope of returning to F1.

Mazepin was sacked by Haas as a result of the invasion.

He owed his seat to sponsorship funding from the Russian chemicals business Uralkali, which is part-owned by his father through his company Uralchem.