After graduating from F2 to F1 with Haas in 2021, Mazepin is the slowest driver to set a qualifying time in every race and the last classified driver in the three races he has finished.
But Mazepin was able to guide Haas’ efforts through training in Monaco on Thursday and complete both sessions in front of his teammate Mick Schumacher.
Mazepin finished 17th in FP1, two tenths of a second ahead of Schumacher, and was 0.009 seconds ahead of 18th place in FP2.
Haas team boss Steiner was happy with how Mazepin had fared on Thursday and believed the Russian driver felt happiest with the VF-21 car that he had so far.
“I think he did a good job today,” said Steiner after training on Thursday.
“I spoke to him afterwards and he was very happy. He said he was the happiest since he started Formula One at the beginning of the season.
“He did a good job. He didn’t do anything he shouldn’t and improved lap by lap. We still have a bit to go but I think we’re on the right track at the moment.”
“He just feels confident in the car. What he told me, he feels happy in the car, he feels confident. I don’t know any other details of what really makes a difference, but he just said he was didn’t do. ” I don’t think he’d enjoy himself that much. “
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Mazepin scored points in his two F2 starts in Monaco in 2019 but said on Wednesday that he expected F1 to be a “massively different” experience.
Steiner said it was “maybe a bit” surprising that Mazepin’s previous best practice was shown in Monaco, but knew there would be such a breakthrough at some point.
“It will come at some point, but I think it’s also the time in the car,” said Steiner.
“He is now [at] its fifth racing weekend. It’s just like getting used to it and maybe getting used to the whole thing more. “
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