Mazepin welcomes "more help" as Haas ponder reserve driver

Ewan Gale
Sunday 3 October 2021 13:00

Nikita Mazepin has welcomed "more help" at Haas after Guenther Steiner suggested the team would discuss hiring an experienced reserve driver for 2022.

Russian Mazepin and team-mate Mick Schumacher have had to endure a trying season at the back of the grid with no benchmark to follow in an underdeveloped car.

Both rookies have therefore added value to beating each other on track with their personal battle the only demonstration of pace relative to car performance.

Ahead of the Russian Grand Prix, team principal Steiner explained: "It is always difficult if you take on a reserve or reference driver, it would take them out of the car in testing and testing is not a lot these days.

"There is pros and cons to everything and we have to get to that point at some stage of the discussions internally with the engineers what is best for the team. But we haven't made a decision but all these ideas, there is a lot of these ideas floating around.

"We haven't taken a decision but hopefully we don't need to do this because that is also not good.

"If you put someone in to give you a reference and then they lose time to drive. It is a very difficult decision to take and I just hope our car is stable enough that they can get everything out as possible.

"The better the car is, the easier it is for them to develop it. A stable car makes you go quicker because it gives you confidence."

Mazepin, who is last in the drivers' standings, was asked for his view on the potential of having a reserve driver to learn from and replied: "I have never been asked that question and I don't think the drivers get to choose it, I don't think that is correct.

"But if I was to be asked, I think more help in the position we are at now is good help.

"I am open to any solution but Guenther is the team boss and he needs to take these decisions, not me, I am too young for it."