The Uralkali Haas F1 team is looking forward to getting back into action after the summer break with the legendary Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the venue for the Belgian Grand Prix, round 12 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship.
The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps is one of the most famous venues for the sport and is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Baron Joseph de Crawhez and Henri Langlois van Ophem thought that the triangle made up of routes 23, 32 and 440 connecting the villages of Francorchamps, Malmedy and Stavelot would offer a fantastic course that cuts through the contours of the green Ardennes forest meanders.
The first race, in August 1921, was for motorcyclists, but a year later enough cars were registered for the opening of the Belgian Grand Prix. These roads were finally paved in 1928 and in 1950 the 14 km road circuit was included in the first Formula 1 world championship season. Only Monza, Monaco and Silverstone have held more races than the 53 at Spa-Francorchamps.
The current Spa Francorchamps layout, last modified in 2007, remains a formidable challenge and is a favorite in the Formula 1 paddock. At 7.004 km, it’s the longest route on the calendar and features fast and sweeping corners like Pouhon, Blanchimont and the Eau Rouge / Raidillon complex, an asphalt waterfall that riders climb at full throttle.
The track is not only a test for the drivers, but also a test for teams due to the different characteristics, with a performance-intensive first and third sector being counteracted by a long, downforce-dependent middle sector. The teams also face a challenge that has been ubiquitous in Spa-Francorchamps’ 100-year history: the weather. Its location in the Ardennes forest means that conditions can change, even corner by corner.
The rookies Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher from Uralkali Haas F1 Team can boast strong successes in the junior categories at Spa-Francorchamps. Mazepin was victorious in the GP3 series in 2018 and first on the road in Formula 2 last year before a time penalty. Schumacher took his first European Formula 3 pole position and victory on the track in 2018 and won this year’s title, while in 2020 he secured successive Formula 2 podiums on his way to the championship crown.
The special highlight of your personal summer break seemed to be the ascent of the magnificent Ortler in your home region of South Tyrol. Can you share this experience and the motivation to climb – a beach vacation wasn’t an option?
Günther Steiner: “As a South Tyrolean there is always one thing to do – climb the highest mountain in the region! I did it quite late in my life, but it was one of the things I always wanted to do when I was a child So I did it. I stayed at the beach for a few days just to keep my family happy – I was obviously happy to be with my family – but it’s one of those things when you want to do something that you do needs to go and do it. I’m pretty happy – it was a lovely moment on the beach. It wasn’t an easy job, but it takes what it takes! “
Have you been able to successfully balance work and vacation and do you feel fit for the second half of the 2021 season? What is the key to a successful break and what are your immediate priorities after reviewing the first half of 2021?
GS: “I’m totally charged for the second half. I’ve spent some time with the family, but what I’ve learned over the years is that doing something constructive is very difficult because everyone in our industry is on vacation so it just goes back and forth with no real result. The best thing to do is to take a step back, think things through for yourself where you don’t need anyone and then when you come back just work hard the season to give our best as we try to make every race and then focus on preparing for 2022. “
Feel like there is now a bit of light at the end of the tunnel to get the 2021 season behind you and say goodbye to the VF-21 package while raising hopes for the 2022 Haas package?
GS: “Absolutely. We’ll get there over the hump. I think there is still a race to go and then we’ll be closer to the end than the beginning, but the focus from now on is on preparing for 2022 and I think we’ll do it it’s progressing well with that. “
The Belgian Grand Prix is the first race in another F1 triple header. Would you have preferred to have the team started with a little gap between races, or do you think a triple header allows a little more immediate focus given the intensity of the schedule?
GS: “Triple headers are unavoidable while the pandemic is still there. Ideally it would be a single race with a week in between and then the second option would be double headers and a week in between, but we can’t make up our minds this year I think FOM and Stefano are doing a very good job of putting together a good calendar for us and we have to live by that. It will be a tough second half of the season for sure, but our team is tough and we will make it. “
How was your summer break – did you switch off completely or did you already think about the second half of the season?
Nikita Mazepin: “The summer break was really good. Unfortunately, these three weeks are never long enough to switch off completely because I had to take a few exams in September to get to university. Formula 1 has a very long season and you have to take time out to be optimally prepared for the mental challenges of the second half of the year. I concentrated on my studies, went to the mountains with quad bikes and buggies and concentrated on the things I love. I spent a week and a half training so that I was fit for spa. “
The first race after some downtime is arguably one of the hardest tracks to master – Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix – round 12 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship 2021. Eau Rouge, the left-right all the way to Raidillon – is like racing through such famous – and challenging – corners?
NM: “Spa is one of my favorite tracks in Formula 1 and in racing in general. The craziest thing about Spa is that the lap feels so long and sometimes you’re in the first sector and it’s dry and in the second it’s wet because it’s on So much land lies. You drive at different speeds through the woods and different sections of the track, but if the car is good there it’s the best track and the best feeling you can drive try – Eau Rouge is going to be a very interesting feeling in full swing. “
You won the sprint race here in 2018 and came second in the main Formula 2 race last year. How does it feel to win on a track like this?
NM: “It feels great. Of course I had a difficult win and I even won twice, but the second time I got a penalty. It’s a really cool track because I like to race where you can overtake people , and Spa is a great overtaking course with lots of possibilities, the speeds are high, the downforce is low, so to win on a track like this is something very special. “
The Belgian Grand Prix is known for varying weather conditions due to its size – sometimes with rain on some parts of the track and sun on others. How does this affect the car’s set-up for the weekend?
NM: “It has no influence on that because in Formula 1 – where you can’t change the setup after qualifying – depending on the weather conditions, you’re in between where you could be. I hope it’s dry because I want to.” to experience these G-forces and these maximum speeds. “
The first race after some downtime is arguably one of the hardest tracks to master – Spa-Francorchamps for the Belgian Grand Prix – round 12 of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship 2021. Eau Rouge, the left-right all the way to Raidillon – is like racing through such famous – and challenging – corners?
Mick Schumacher: “In general, Spa is my favorite track, whatever the circumstances. For me, it’s just great to return to Spa. I was there last year and the years before and of course we had a lot of ups and downs there. It’s definitely one of the most challenging tracks – it’s super long, there are lots of waves, it’s very historic and definitely one of the most special weekends we have on the calendar so I’m really looking forward to going back. We also think of some difficult times, but we always keep everyone, especially Anthoine (Hubert), in our hearts when we go there. “
The Belgian Grand Prix is known for varying weather conditions due to its size – sometimes with rain on some parts of the track and sun on others. How does this affect the car’s set-up for the weekend?
MS: “That doesn’t have a big impact on the car set-up because we can still change it during the training sessions – so we have time to set it up our own way, but usually the conditions are changeable as the Grand Prix progresses.” . Looking forward to getting some rain again which would be nice. When it’s dry, I like to drive dry too, of course, so let’s just let it come our way and then we’ll see! “
In 2017 you drove your father’s masterful Benetton B194 on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his first Formula 1 victory. We’re returning to Spa this weekend for the 30th anniversary of his Formula 1 debut, during your first year in the sport. How was it to drive this car and experience these special moments?
MS: “Driving my father’s Benetton in 2017 was a great experience. Now, five years later, I’m driving in Formula 1 myself, and that’s 30 years after my father made his debut. It’s a very special moment for me and my family, so I’m really looking forward to going there and also putting my stamp on this special route. “
A year later, in 2018, you won your Formula 3 European Championship in Spa. How does it feel to be at the top of the podium on a track like this?
MS: “It was my first Formula 3 victory in 2018 and the first after a good series. It was also my first family pole position this year, and for me, so I’m very happy to be able to return there and hopefully pull something out of my hat, which would be great. “
