The Haas driver was recently quoted by Autosport as saying that he feels “100% ready” to compete against the F1 midfield teams this year, as long as Haas gives him a car that is good enough.
When I envisioned the US team becoming a midfield again, I did so while acknowledging all the promising signs for Mick Schumacher from 2021 onwards. The gap between the German and his Russian teammate was palpable last year, and for Mazepin to keep up with Schumacher’s pace it would require a sizeable leap in focus, consistency and probably talent as well.
Mick Schumacher won the 2020 F2 championship while Mazepin finished fifth. He showed lightning that year in F2 and won at Silverstone and Mugello, but overall he was nowhere near as impressive as Yuki Tsunoda, Callum Ilott and of course Schumacher.
Nevertheless, the young Russian is confident in his craft, perhaps irrationally self-confident, which is not necessarily bad in sport.
“I’ve had some good fights with some faster cars this year and was fine,” he said. “For me, especially when fighting with people, I have to know exactly where my rear wing and where my front wing ends so that I know exactly how to position my car next to it.”
That would be good, especially since he has had several incidents where it appeared that he lacked a general awareness of his surroundings.
“Life in Formula 1 is not consistent for anyone. But we always knew what we were getting into, and ’22 is the year we put things together. And I think I’m in a good place to do just that, ”he added.
To be fair, improving one of the most terrifying rookie campaigns in Formula 1 history shouldn’t be that difficult. But the midfield? I just don’t see it for him, at least not this year.
