Nikita Mazepin turns to YouTube to learn Interlagos

São Paulo Grand Prix

Mazepin turns to YouTube to learn Interlagos

Mazepin has never been to Brazil

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Friday 12 November 2021 13:30

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Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin has had to learn the Interlagos circuit through watching YouTube videos as he was unable to complete simulator work ahead of the São Paulo Grand Prix.

Mazepin's junior career was based largely in Europe and the Middle East, meaning this F1's return to Brazil this weekend will be the Russian's first foray onto the Interlagos track surface.

Drivers usually put hours of simulator work in at the team factory or at home in order to acclimatise to a new track before flying to the circuit but Mazepin has revealed circumstances have stopped him from doing so.

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His task to learn the track will be complicated by the lack of practice, with just one session ahead of qualifying at F1's third and final sprint trial.

"I think the sprint's a great format.," said Mazepin. "I've enjoyed it on the tracks I've known very well from my early days of racing, Monza and Silverstone.

"Plus, it makes every day a bit more special, waking up and knowing you have something to fight for and that will really matter.

"Where I think Brazil is a bit of a different challenge, I've never been to this track and unfortunately I've not done any virtual laps on this circuit.

"So it definitely is a track that is challenging and will require more than just one session to get up to speed. I guess I'll just have to deal with it."

Pushed on whether he had done any amount of simulator preparation, Mazepin insisted: "Unfortunately not. I wasn't able to."

On the challenge the weekend now presents, he explained: "Probably harder than I'd like, but it's just the reality at the moment.

"Hopefully that will change next year.

"If I could tell you the amount of YouTube videos I've watched of Interlagos, it's probably more than any other circuit so I'm ready."