Nikita Mazepin says Mick Schumacher is his closest friend in Formula 1

Nikita Mazepin joked that his teammate Mick Schumacher was his “closest friend” in Formula 1 when asked who he was best with in sport.

That answer came as a bit of a surprise considering how public their fallout was in their rookie season together – after meeting and publicly speaking out on the track several times as they competed in a two-man race at the bottom of the field.

Mazepin also claimed that he had a heavier car than Schumacher for the first half of the season, explaining why he lagged behind his teammate in the early races – the young German won’t be a “gentle ride”.

However, that didn’t stop Mazepin from giving a wink answer in an interview.

Miami is on MAZ’s mind before a final visit to Sochi. # HaasF1 pic.twitter.com/1RWLAGcqLh

– Haas F1 Team (@ HaasF1Team) October 15, 2021

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When asked by the Dutch TV broadcaster Ziggo Sport in Turkey who his closest friend in Formula 1 was, he said, quoted by grandpx.news: “Mick Schumacher.”

“You are a liar!” The answer came from the Ziggo interviewer.

“Why am I a liar?” said Mazepin. “He’s closest to me in the garage.

“He’s coming to visit me on vacation in Moscow. He wants to see the snow and the bears. “

The Dutch broadcaster then cheekily told the Haas driver that he might have said it as an excuse to somehow leave his teammate in a remote part of Siberia.

Mazepin then laughed: “No, he really wants to see the bears and the snow.”

Mazepin and Schumacher still have to get one point in Formula 1 in a Haas that has not been competitive all year round, but team boss Günther Steiner recently said that he is “cautiously optimistic” about the team’s chances, up the field To advance again in 2022.

They had decided not to develop their car for 2021 in order to fully focus on completely changing the regulations in Formula 1, with both rookies staying in their seats next year to try their hand at the new machines.