Steiner Responds to Speculations of His Axing at Haas F1 Amid Reported Beef With Dmitry Mazepin

Guenther Steiner has been the captain of a sinking ship for quite some time now. Regardless, he has maneuvered his way through tough waters. The Haas Team Principal has tried his best to do justice with what is given to him.

What they gave to him this season, however, are two rookies- the son of an F1 legend, and the son of a Russian business tycoon. The latter, causing him more problems than the former.

There was hearsay that Dmitry Mazepin was to take over Steiner’s role as Team Principal. However, the Italian engineer was quick to brush these off at Silverstone. “They make no sense, they are nonsense. Someone simply wanted to write something and spread a new gossip.”

Nikita Mazepin has not been Rookie of the Year. His unremarkable performance has pushed the driver to the bottom of the grid. Consequentially, his father, Dmitry Mazepin, isn’t too happy receiving no returns from his investment to the team.

It’s no secret that the second Haas seat had more viable competitors; They only added Mazepin to the team because of the financial promises brought to Haas.

The Haas rookies- A silent rivalry

Both these drivers are associated with their last names. While Schumacher brings the penitential of being a wunderkind, Mazepin brings a chunk of the budget.

It’s an unfortunate differentiation, but true. Nikita Mazepin has had a hard time sharing a garage with Mick. Both as a driver and as an individual.

The two drivers share zero points, but Mazepin seems to get into more problems on track. The Russian’s infamous title “Maze-spin” has been a reaction to his frequent tendencies to spin off the track.

Not only has he taken the Haas to the barriers, but also faces problems with the blue flags. His unwillingness to follow blue flags has made him the receiving end of a lot of rage from other drivers.

Read more: Verstappen Explains His Father’s Role in Dealing With Hamilton’s Mind Games Ahead of British GP

Guenther Steiner comments, “We are working to make Nikita as fast as Mick. Our will is to have two good drivers by the end of the season. 

“Nikita is making progress, but with Mick, the bar is quite high. Some pilots learn faster, others slower. But I trust they will soon have a similar level.” 

As internet personalities, a lot of the love and support flows towards Mick Schumacher. The young German has shown promise on the track and maintains a good pace.

Mazepin, on the other hand, came into F1 with a lot of controversy following him. This included aggression off track, other experienced competitors for his seat, etc.

The Russian has had to try to be better on the track as well as improve his image. And you can see him try. It would be unfortunate to boil down Mazepin to his father’s money. It’s only been nine races this season, and it is his rookie season. There is always a possibility to see him become a better driver.

Guenther Steiner has proven repeatedly that no one can understand the team as well as he does. He clearly states that he has no competition with the Russian businessman or Nikita’s manager; Steiner is here to stay.

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