Mick Schumacher 'needs to learn' crash "risk"

Schumacher in Haas — Photo: © LAT Images

Hungarian Grand Prix

Schumacher 'needs to learn' crash "risk"

Schumacher was forced to sit out qualifying after crashing in FP3

Ewan Gale

Sunday 1 August 2021 13:15

Guenther Steiner has insisted Haas' rookie drivers "need to learn" after Mick Schumacher added to the number of costly mistakes made by himself and Nikita Mazepin this F1 season.

The German driver was unable to compete in qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix after crashing out late on in final practice when losing the rear of the VF-21 at turn 11.

It was Schumacher's fourth crash of the season and the second time he had missed qualifying due to an incident in FP3 after previously doing so in Monaco.

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With Mazepin also making a number of errors early in the year, asked if his drivers should have learned their lessons by now, Steiner replied: "Yeah, I actually think so.

"By now, we should know where we stand and in FP3, you compromise yourself by not taking part in qualifying. The risk is always there because it is only two hours away from when you finish FP3 before qualifying.

"Of course, we need to learn out of this or they need to learn. We need to get better at this."

Schumacher describes FP3 crash

Schumacher's incident was reminiscent of his Q1 mistake at the French Grand Prix where he lost adhesion at the rear of the car and collided with the barriers.

Explaining the causes of the error, Schumacher said: "So the whole situation started in turn seven where the exit was already quite on the limit with the wheelspin.

"In that case, it does overheat the surface, which as a result, [turn] nine [I was] in a difficult place with the rear being quite on the limit.

"Nine, I kind of understeered because it was a place where I usually had snaps already all weekend long, so I was ready to counter that.

"Coming into turn 11 where you are turning nearly flat, at that time where the rear went I was kind of more of a passenger and unfortunately, the way I hit the wall made it very complicated for us to repair it afterwards.

"It is a very unfortunate moment because we missed out on qualifying again but I am very, very proud of how the team managed to get so close.

"We were about five to 10 minutes off of getting the car out. It would have been enough with a red flag to do a lap at least."