Mick Schumacher 'felt at home' in F1 test despite limited Haas running

Mick Schumacher, Bahrain — Photo: © LAT Images

Haas

Schumacher 'felt at home' in F1 test despite limited Haas running

Schumacher completed just 15 laps after being hit with a gearbox issue

Ewan Gale

Saturday 13 March 2021 05:30

Haas driver Mick Schumacher has claimed he felt "very at home" during his first test as an official Formula 1 driver despite completing only 15 laps in four hours.

The German opened the testing schedule for his team in Bahrain on Friday, only to have his running curtailed by a gearbox issue. Only Valtteri Bottas completed fewer laps of the circuit on day one due to a similar problem.

Despite the setback, however, Schumacher was upbeat after his first outing in the VF-21.

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"It felt very comfy, the seat feels good, the car feels great and I feel very at home," said Schumacher. "It was great.

"Obviously I would have loved for some more laps. It would have been great just to get some more of those laps in that unfortunately we lost due to a gearbox issue that we had and therefore we just sat in the box for quite a while.

"Then we got to go out for a few laps in the end. Obviously, the conditions were not great, we had the sandstorm so not amazing but still some very valuable time in the car.

"Any lap is great, from the first lap to the last. If it is only 15 then I will take them. It is better than nothing so I am happy to be in the car, happy to be able to push at times and try some things."

The day was overshadowed by a sandstorm that engulfed the circuit for much of the running, meaning grip was at a premium for the 17 drivers that took to the track.

With Schumacher splitting his driving duties into half-days with team-mate Nikita Mazepin, he is hoping for improved conditions - and fortunes - on day two.

"Well, it is very gusty, which makes it very unpredictable and different from corner to corner really, which is something I have to get used to," he added.

"These F1 cars these days are very wind-affected so any little wind gusts set the car off massively, so that is why also I think we saw quite a few spins and moments on track."