Haas lack of simulator a "bigger challenge" for rookies - Nikita Mazepin

Haas

Haas lack of simulator a "bigger challenge" for rookies - Mazepin

Mazepin is preparing for the end-of-season flyaway races

Ewan Gale

Sunday 19 September 2021 15:35

Nikita Mazepin has revealed the lack of a simulator facility at Haas will make the end-of-season flyaway races more difficult as a rookie in F1.

The Russian and team-mate Mick Schumacher will have never raced in Austin, Mexico or Brazil before with Formula 2 not travelling to the circuits during their time in the championship.

This will mean a potentially steeper learning curve to that experienced on European circuits in recent months that both drivers would have risen through the ranks competing on.

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Ahead of the end-of-season run-in, Mazepin said: "Well new circuits obviously bring new challenges and being one of the only teams on the grid that doesn't have a simulator, being a rookie driver going to those will be a bigger challenge added on top of my usual jobs.

"I think getting settled in F1 is much easier at tracks that you know as a kid.

"I tested for the first time at Monza in 2015 so I know this place like the back of my garden.

"If you go to Mexico or Brazil, F1 is a very challenging sport itself and if you add a new track with new bumps, new track surfaces etcetera, it is going to be tougher."

Mazepin new chassis leads to "massively improved" one-lap pace

Mazepin was given a new chassis at the Belgian Grand Prix and found pace instantly across the recent triple-header.

The 22-year-old says he can now have confidence in driving the VF-21 on the limit.

"I think our one-lap pace has massively improved ever since I drove in FP1 in Belgium and I think we all know what the change was in FP1 in Belgium," he explained.

"It is good to know I can trust my feelings and the good thing is the pace is there now and we have a long season ahead of us still so I am sure it is only going to get better because the confidence I have lost at the beginning of the year when the car wasn't doing what it was supposed to do, now it is coming to the truth."