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

Make us your Google favorite

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.

Article continues under video

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."