Nikita Mazepin - Haas drivers racing to 'different rules'

Mexico City Grand Prix

Mazepin - Haas drivers racing to 'different rules'

Mazepin openly question the Haas pit wall over the team radio

Sam Hall

Sunday 7 November 2021 17:00

Nikita Mazepin has claimed "the rules are different on the sides of the team" after being denied the opportunity to pass Haas team-mate Mick Schumacher in qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix.

Tensions again flared within the Haas team on Saturday after Mazepin asked "Are you joking?" on the team radio when instructed by chief race engineer Ayao Komatsu he could not pass Schumacher before starting a timed lap.

Explaining the frustration behind his questioning, Mazepin reflected back to the Dutch Grand Prix when, after making a similar request, Schumacher had been allowed to make the move.

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“[After the red flag] we have gone down to the end of the pit lane with about two and a half minutes to go and that means that you are sitting there for two minutes 30 without the blankets where you lose heat that you have put into the tyres which is beneficial," Mazepin explained.

“When we got our there, I knew that those cars that were behind me sitting would need to be pushing to get that temperature into their tyres so I needed to get the same tyre temperature in.

“When I saw my team-mate very early in the lap, in turn four, not doing the same, I thought that maybe the tyre temperatures that he wants to start with are lower and therefore because we are so early in the lap, like he has said in the previous event in the Netherlands, we are going to change positions.

“He was given a green light where I have been given a red light."

He added: "It’s not a big deal, it just seems like the rules are different on the sides of the team.”

Dismissing the comments, team principal Guenther Steiner said: “In the heat of the battle, you say sometimes things that if you think about it you would not say them so I don’t think that was an issue.

“He followed instructions. That was it. Over.”