Mazepin Connected To F1 Return With Potential New Team: "Not Given Up"

Potential F1 teams are rushing to structure themselves before the FIA's Expression of Interest comes to a close at the end of April, and the racing world is buzzing with speculation about potential new entrants to Formula 1. One name that keeps popping up in the rumour mill is Nikita Mazepin, the former Russian F1 driver who left the sport after just one season.
Mazepin's checkered past, including a string of controversial incidents both on and off the track, has made him a controversial figure in the racing world. Now, his father, Dmitry, has been connected to a potential team marked for a place in Formula 1: Hitech GP, as per Russian news agency Ria Novosti.
Reports suggest that Mazepin's family is considering investing in Hitech GP's proposed entry into F1, but given Mazepin's track record, it's unclear whether this is a good idea. After all, Mazepin's antics during his brief stint at Haas F1 left a lot to be desired, including a widely condemned video of him groping a woman in the back of a car.
The idea of a team associated with Mazepin entering Formula 1 is sure to raise eyebrows, but it's unclear whether it's for the right reasons. Obviously, the connection to Russia after the Ukraine invasion will not help the team gain access to the grid, but Dmitry has "not given up", and is "ready to invest".
A Russian journalist, Maria Melnikova, said the following after reportedly talking to the business mogul:
“Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with an unnamed source close to Mazepin,” she said.
“It was about the fact that Dmitry Mazepin has not given up the idea of starting his own team in Formula 1 and is ready to invest in a new project.”
If Dmitry has enough control over this team, and if it really does make it into F1 (which is doubtful), could we see Nikita return to the paddock? Potentially.