The Uralkali Haas F1 Team’s 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship campaign will continue with successive events in Portugal and Spain.
Formula 1 returned to Portugal in 2020 and ended a 24-year absence when the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve, better known as Portimao, made its calendar debut. The inclusion of Portimao met with broad approval from fans and competitors. The Formula 1 drivers compared the track to a roller coaster due to its flowing layout and series of undulating sections.
When the preliminary 2021 calendar was unveiled, there was a blank space – and this was consequently filled in by Portimao, who will stay on for another season. In 2020, however, it changes from autumn to spring as the third round of the campaign. The event takes place on the Portuguese Dia do Trabalhador – Labor Day weekend.
After the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, the rain before the race meant your rookie drivers had a wet start to the race – as early as the second Formula 1 start. Has the team changed their goal due to the conditions and do you see it as a positive that both Nikita and Mick have now experienced wet racing conditions?
Günther Steiner: “No, we haven’t changed our goals. We just got the rain and had to deal with it and learn from it. The drivers are currently drinking from a hose, every Grand Prix brings something new to the table. It’s just ideal for learning.” To learn things like the processes and behavior in these situations. Once you’ve done these things, the second time – sure it’s a lot less stressful, I would say. You want it all in the beginning – maybe you don’t, but when it does the point is, you have the experience. I think it’s a good thing to have all these new experiences. “
The topic of track limits was present again for a large part of the racing weekend in Imola. How involved are you as a team leader with all relevant parties in such matters?
GS: “I’m not directly involved, but obviously I have my opinion. For me, with the track restrictions, if there is a safety problem – I’m for it, otherwise I wouldn’t be too worried about it. On the other hand, the race director has to be in control, because if you give a driver a millimeter, they take an inch. It is up to the race director to set the rules. If the teams and the drivers think it’s wrong, for sure we will let him know. “
Formula 1 announced that the Miami Grand Prix will be on the calendar from 2022. As an American team, how welcome is the news that a second race is on the program in the US, and in particular, what do you think of Miami? borrows the calendar?
GS: “I think having a second race in the US is fantastic for the sport in general. I know that the number of spectators is increasing in the US, which is good for Formula 1 and of course for us as the only American team . ” Well, so that’s not negative. Miami is a great place to have a race – it’s a great city. For me personally it’s a jet lag free race that helps, the way I live on the east coast I’m really looking forward to Miami because it’s always exciting there. “
Next we have two consecutive race weekends in Portugal and Spain. In your opinion, what is a successful outcome of the two events for the team and your drivers?
GS: “Nothing else than the first two races – gain as much experience as possible, get both drivers to the finish line in both races, keep learning and expand your racing knowledge in Formula 1. The goal has not changed, us just keep your head. ” down and learn as much as you can. “
Looking back, you had the opportunity to experience Pirelli’s extremely wet and medium-weight Cinturato Blue and Green tires in Italy – but without the luxury of being in a test or training session. How big was the challenge for a newcomer to experience a Formula 1 car in racing conditions immediately in the wet?
Nikita Mazepin: “It was a great challenge, because obviously nobody in the race goes step by step or relaxed, everyone pushes for the absolute maximum from the start. So you can only guess that without practice.” Trajectory and line. I’m only one of 20 drivers on the grid and one of the three newbies who struggled with the same conditions – I think everyone was kind of the same there. “
Two races in two very different tracks and conditions in Bahrain and Italy. In Formula 1, information arrives quickly and densely. How big is the leap out of Formula 2 in terms of the data you have to analyze and the time you have to process as a driver in Formula 1?
NM: “It’s very big. I would say the amount of data you can collect in Formula 1 is probably three or four times what you can get in Formula 2. So it’s part of your growth in racing terms to understand and control this information. “
Back-to-back racing weekends offer little opportunity to think about the demands of moving on to the next race. As a driver, how do you prepare for the intensity of back-to-back races – is it just that the more track time the better for you?
NM: “I don’t change my approach. I love racing, I love what I do and I am very happy to do this as my job. Back-to-back weekends and the season are getting more intense. I’m really looking forward to it to this year. I can’t say I’ve had that in the past, but I just feel good about driving and driving all the time to get better at what I’m doing. “
What is your experience with tests or races at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal and which special features of the track do you have to consider in a Formula 1 car?
NM: “One of my first tests in a formula car was on this track in Portugal. I haven’t been there for over seven years, maybe eight if I’m a little mistaken, but this track is a special one. It’s a spectacular one on TV and when you’re in the car you keep pacing – it’s like a roller coaster ride. I’m looking forward to getting out of there. “
Looking back, you had the opportunity to experience Pirelli’s extremely wet and medium-weight Cinturato Blue and Green tires in Italy – but without the luxury of being in a test or training session. How big was the challenge for a newcomer to experience a Formula 1 car in racing conditions immediately in the wet?
Mick Schumacher: “It was definitely not easy to go straight into a full wet race. Obviously most of the guys started at intersections, and partly because we were a little inexperienced, we decided to start with full wet.” It was definitely the easier and safer way to go, but now, looking at it with the experience I’ve had, I would probably have started at the crossroads. If we have a wet race again, and if it’s not one hundred percent sure if it’s wet or in-between, or if it looks like it’s drying out, then I would definitely start at the intersection. However, no situation is identical, something new and something different always happens. You have to evaluate it at the moment. A lot was definitely learned. It was great fun and a great experience. I liked the mixed conditions. “
After two races, you came across two very different tracks and conditions in Bahrain and Italy. How did you find the switch between the two tracks?
MS: “It was quite difficult to jump from a track where we did some tests and then the race and then to a track where we barely had free practice time and you have to do your best straight away . ” It’s definitely not easy, but it’s a nice challenge. I enjoy this challenge and I enjoyed Imola. I think we have made a good step forward as a team. We learned a lot, a lot for the next race weekend in Portimao. “
Back-to-back racing weekends offer little opportunity to think about the demands of moving on to the next race. As a driver, how do you prepare for the intensity of back-to-back races – is it just that the more track time the better for you?
MS: “I think the back-to-back races are definitely interesting. There were a lot of them last year, obviously due to the difficult year everyone had. We also had a few back-to-backs in the Have Formula 2 I think it’s important that we evaluate everything that happens in race week, take the positives and learn from the negatives, and then bring those things right into the next week. Obviously there isn’t a lot of time in between, but i enjoy racing in a row as it’s just a lot of miles, a lot of time in the car and time with the team, you spend a lot of time with your team anyway and now we do it one by one and work a lot during that time close to each other. “
What is your experience with tests or races at Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in Portugal?
MS: “I tested there in a GP2 car in 2018. It’s a great track, I really love driving on it. I think it’s like an old school track, similar to Imola. It’s good too for us, since the teams don’t have one. ” a lot of experience there – just the experience from last year. I think this will bring the competition closer, which is really good. “
