Mick Schumacher warns of “harsh consequences” in future after Nikita Mazepin apology

Schumacher, Mazepin, Haas, Azerbaijan — Photo: © LAT Images

French Grand Prix

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Schumacher warns of “harsh consequences” in future after Mazepin apology

Late incident in Baku has soured relationship

Ian Parkes & Will Gray

Thursday 17 June 2021 16:30

Mick Schumacher has warned Haas team-mate Nikita Mazepin to expect “harsher consequences” if he attempts to 'scare or push him into the wall' in future.

Following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Mazepin apologised to Schumacher following their late-race incident which led to an angry tirade from the German over the radio in which he questioned whether the Russian was trying to kill them both.

Mazepin later met with team principal Guenther Steiner and viewed the video footage but has since hinted it was an ‘encouraged’ apology and he still believes he was not in the wrong.

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Naturally claiming otherwise, Schumacher said: “You have to race with him so I think in that sense trust is built and for sure it can be built again. Obviously, right now, I don’t really know what to expect in one v one.

“If it happens again probably there will be harsher consequences but also because it was an incident between team-mates, it is probably kept more internal than being dealt with by the race director and stewards.

“In the moment, I was not expecting it at all, especially between team-mates. I know it was the last lap and we all fight but if you come in such a tow, you have all that is left basically in terms of battery and you use everything.

“There is no stopping [it]. The only way you stop somebody is by scaring him or pushing him into the wall and obviously, he tried to do that. I, in fairness, kept my foot down but still I think that it was unexpected from my side.

“There was a meeting right after the race between Steiner, [chief race engineer] Ayao [Komatsu] and Nikita. After, they called me in and we spoke about it all together. He did, after seeing the video, apologise for it.”

Mazepin reveals Schumacher "upset"

Mazepin was surprised when he was told by reporters that Schumacher had revealed the apology in a press conference prior to the French Grand Prix.

Speaking soon after he issued a firm retort. Asked about the incident itself he said: “I would like to be very direct - there was no incident.

"Both cars returned to the pits with front wings and the paint job was as polished as it was just before the race, so I would like to look at that in a pretty positive way.

“I think we had a bit of a misunderstanding between us. I thought he would choose the inside line then he chose the outside line and when I saw that he had committed to it I backed out of it.

“Our discussions that go on within the team I believe should stay within the team. However, if it was already brought out, I would say that I apologised to him if that’s how he felt, and he clearly was very upset.

“But I would just say it is very important that he doesn’t expect to have it too easy and I am never going to not block for whatever reason, but I clearly didn’t expect him to be where he ended up being.

“If he felt the way he did, I said sorry because that’s what I think I should be doing, however, it wasn’t for my particular doing, so that’s all.”