Mazepin and Schumacher, the battle continues
During the Dutch Grand Prix, the Haas drivers duo once again stood out. Schumacher considers his teammate's behavior very dangerous.
The tension is rising a notch for the Haas pair. It’s a fact, the two drivers don’t like each other. It’s not new for two teammates in F1 not to appreciate each other, but we have reached the point of no return on the American team’s side. At the Dutch Grand Prix, the duo once again stood out.
It all started during qualifying. Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher battled for position on track during Q1, blocking Sebastian Vettel’s Aston Martin. A dramatic accident narrowly avoided by the four-time world champion. In the race, true to his reputation, Mazepin made a sudden move to prevent him from passing on the straight at the end of the first lap. A move that could also have turned into a tragedy. Michael Schumacher’s son was not the only one to face the Russian. After Sergio Perez, Nicholas Latifi also fell victim. Fortunately, Latifi executed a very nice maneuver to get rid of his opponent.
#DutchGP🇳🇱
Très jolie manœuvre de Nicholas Latifi
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— CANAL+ F1® (@CanalplusF1) September 5, 2021
At the end of the race, in front of the media, Schumacher lashed out at his teammate, blaming him for his behavior. Fighting to be ahead of your teammate is logical, but according to the German, it does not justify his dangerous actions.
Translate: « It seems fair that he has this thing in his mind where he wants, at all costs, to be ahead of me. It’s not a big deal and I have nothing against it. But I think that if we go to the point of defending ourselves very aggressively against a teammate, it’s not the right approach, especially when you have nothing to gain. »
A strange behavior knowing that there is nothing to gain for the two drivers. The Haas car is difficult to drive and the team cannot aim for a top 10 position. This kind of gesture can be costly for the team, which is already struggling greatly this season.
« This does not justify the fact that he pushes me into the wall, essentially forcing me to go into the pit lane. Again, I don’t think this is the right way. We will probably just have to have a discussion with the team about it. »
On Nikita Mazepin’s side, the driver regrets his low presence in the races every weekend. He had to quickly retire due to a hydraulic issue. He is more concerned about the lack of time in his car than with issues with his teammate.
« I am also upset. My job is to drive and I feel like I haven’t been driving enough these past few race weekends. Fortunately, I don’t feel guilty, which is something to keep in mind, but I did have a good race and a very good first lap.
But the Russian driver did not shine in his first round, but through his dangerous actions. Whether it’s with Schumacher or another driver, the problem remains the same. One day, this gesture could have serious consequences. Günther Steiner, the team principal of Haas, said that a new discussion should take place between the drivers to address this issue in the future.
