Russian driver says Haas favors Schumacher over Mazepin

Nikita Mazepin, Azerbaijan GP 2021

© Haas F1-Team / LAT

A Russian racing driver believes that his fellow driver drivers from his country usually descend to number 2 when they enter western motorsport categories like Formula 1.

Viktor Kozankov, known in Russia as the leading ex-open wheel racer who competed against David Coulthard and Rubens Barrichello, was asked to comment on the tumultuous early career of controversial F1 rookie Nikita Mazepin.

“Our Formula 1 drivers, no matter how much money they invest, are unlikely to win anything,” he told Match TV.

“You sit in the cockpit, pay a certain price per kilometer, that’s it. You can see that with Mazepin and (Mick) Schumacher. The whole team works for Schumacher and will do everything to ensure that he is successful and that Mazepin smiles.”

Mazepin, who, like his compatriot Haas Rookie Schumacher, is 22 years old, is strongly supported by his father Dmitry’s Uralchem ​​company, which is also the team’s title sponsor.

“They are just like that,” answered Kozankov when asked how Western racing teams rate drivers from Russia.

“They’ll smile, but they’ll never lift a finger to take you anywhere. At least that’s my experience.

“The owners of the Formula 3 teams Guido Forti and Ferdinando Ravarotto told us during a test in Italy in the 1980s that this policy already began in the junior categories,” he revealed.

The 62-year-old said Russian drivers and investors are wasting their time in Formula 1 as a result.

“You can even buy a team, but what do you do with it? Formula 1 is not needed – we have to build our own championship,” said Kozankov.

(GMM)