Perhaps the most talked about driver prior to the 2021 Formula One season was Nikita Mazepin. The Russian rookie joined Haas F1 thanks to a large investment from his father, and also came under scrutiny for his questionable behavior in a video that surfaced prior to his arrival. Expectations were not too high, but Mazepin has shown a learning curve during his first season.
He himself is therefore more than satisfied with his debut season in Formula 1, which he rates with "four out of five" stars despite his 21st place in the final standings. The main reason he cites is that he persevered in difficult moments.
Mazepin rates debut season highly
"I think you should never get five out of five, because I don't know what perfection is. Today it can be excellent, but tomorrow I may realize that it can be better. So four out of five is the maximum I can give myself," explained the 22-year-old Russian to Motorsportweek.com.
Those four stars, according to Mazepin, come mainly from perseverance. "Some moments were tough," he admitted. About his adaptability, he is realistic: with three out of five, he rates it as mediocre.
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Given Haas' decision not to develop the 2021 car at all, it is not surprising that the team was continuously found at the back. Still, Mazepin was continuously beaten by teammate Schumacher. In that respect, the Russian rookie does enjoy an advantage: the expectations of his teammate are higher, and with that Schumacher is also under higher pressure. Mazepin can therefore continue to develop quietly.
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Friday 17.04.26
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Friday 17.04.26
Practice 1
Fri 01:30 PM
Practice 2
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Saturday 18.04.26
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| Pos. | Driver | Team | Points |
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1 | WilliamsWIL | 0 | |
2 | Aston MartinAST | 0 | |
3 | MercedesMER | 0 | |
4 | HaasHAA | 0 | |
5 | AudiAUD | 0 | |
6 | CadillacCAD | 0 | |
7 | AlpineALP | 0 | |
8 | AlpineALP | 0 | |
9 | Red Bull RacingRBR | 0 | |
10 | FerrariFER | 0 |
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