Steiner Warns Things Can ‘Get Loud’ at Haas if Mazepin and Schumacher Don’t Behave

Haas F1 usher in a new era with an all-rookie driver lineup for 2021. Last year’s F2 champion, Mick Schumacher, will be partnered by 21-year-old Russian driver Nikita Mazepin.

The duo competed for the F2 title in 2020 and have also been teammates during their karting days. So, they should know each other well. However, it seems that the relationship between the two isn’t akin to the bromance we have seen with Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz.

Mazepin clarified that he isn’t friends with Schumacher and isn’t bothered by his teammates’ iconic surname. Schumacher, on his part, is content with minding his own business and performing on the track.

Also Read: ‘We Are Not Friends’ – Nikita Mazepin Not Interested in Any F1 Bromance With Mick Schumacher at Haas

With Haas most likely to be at the back of the grid, Mazepin and Schumacher can expect numerous battles with one another through the course of the season. It might cause some heated moments on track. However, team boss Guenther Steiner believes he will have the situation under control.

He said, “Competition stimulates business if it stays within the right channels. If it ever gets out of hand, I will make clear announcements. Then it can also get loud. But I don’t think that will be necessary. I trust them both.”

Haas boss places his trust in Mick Schumacher coming good

Making your debut for a team that’ll form the tail of the grid is always difficult. At Haas, expectations for the upcoming season are reasonably low because of the car. So, Mick won’t get much chance to prove his potential.

Moreover, as evidenced in his F2 days, Mick has a tendency to adjust slowly to a new series, but this doesn’t bother Steiner. He believes Schumacher will be up to the task pretty soon, and his learning curve could be similar to that of Charles Leclerc.

Steiner said, “In the first few races, he (Leclerc) wasn’t faster than his teammate. But he then learned extremely quickly. That’s what I expect from Mick in particular. I’m convinced that as early as the second half of the season we’ll have two drivers who know exactly what to do.”

It’ll be interesting to see how Mick and Nikita come along in the 2021 campaign. Can they do a better job than what Romain Grosjean and Kevin Magnussen did last year? The season opener in March could provide us with some clues.