“Mazespin” gift shows that Mazepin is not a “wretched young man,” says Haas

After the young Russian had adopted the nickname “Mazespin” after his incidents in the team this year, Steiner made a surprise appearance on race morning at the Styrian Grand Prix last weekend.

He handed Mazepin a special top and base and then joked, “This is the Mazespin game. You’re turning this one: It’s better than turning the car! “

Mazepin laughed as he accepted the gift and Steiner said he didn’t expect anything else – the Italian believed that some people’s perception of his driver was wrong.

“He didn’t feel uncomfortable,” Steiner explained. “He was pretty happy. You know, there is also a happy Nikita Mazepin.

“He’s not that unhappy boy you all think he is, that wretched young man. He has a good sense of humor, you know? “

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Steiner said that posting a video handing Mazepin the gift purposely shows the world a different side to the boy than he is sometimes portrayed.

“I think it was decided to be a little funnier,” added Steiner. “We can be funny here too.

“There always seems to be anything about Nikita on social media that is about bad things, so there can be good things too, you know? We’re trying to use it to our advantage and get away from the naysayers. “

In terms of on-track performance, Steiner still believes it will be some time before Mazepin and team-mate Mick Schumacher can really fight rivals.

When asked about Mazepin’s hopes of having a race he won’t be lapped in, Steiner said he doubted that would be possible by 2022.

“To think this year that it will happen is going to be very difficult,” he said. “The blue flags, they’re killing you because they kill your tires and it’s just a tough spot because you’re always around cars and can’t perform.

“So we hope it happens next year. I mean that is our goal, but this year it will be difficult.