“Tsunoda is the best rookie”– Ex F1 driver in comparison between Mick Schumacher, Nikita Mazepin and Yuki Tsunoda

“Tsunoda is the best rookie”– Ex F1 driver Marc Surer feels that Haas’ rookie pair Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin will struggle with VF21.

The Bahrain Grand Prix race was special for three drivers, as Yuki Tsunoda, Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin made their Formula 1 debut.

Though only Tsunoda had a joyous night, with Mazepin’s race getting over in the first minutes, Schumacher was at the end of the ladder; meanwhile, the Japanese bagged two points with his Alpha Tauri.

This has led to several F1 experts, including Marc Surer call him the best rookie this year, as his pace and fluency on the track impressed almost everyone.

“Tsunoda has the much better car,” said Surer, quoted by Motorsport-Total. “On the other hand, I think the Haas is a bad car. It already was last year, and it hasn’t got any better. They still have more power than last year. That means there’s more demand for the rear axle.”

“Having to cope with such a poor car, that already gets the two drivers into trouble, as you saw. But in terms of speed and also in terms of mistakes, you have to say Tsunoda is the [best] rookie.”

The predicament of Haas’ pair

Mazepin being an infamous personality among the fans, gained huge traction after his spin, with many calling him out as ‘Mazespin’. But Surer points out that the pair would struggle further.

“The cars today have the torque that doesn’t come on abruptly now,” he said. “But it’s simply 1,000hp on the rear axle, with a 700-kilo car. That’s pure power, and it’s like a dragster.

“If you’re still on the kerb with one side, the car warps and then you spin,” He added. “When you accelerate out of a tight corner, you need all the available power. And the [hybrid system] is programmed so that full power comes then.”

“It doesn’t always come – less after a fast corner. They can divide that up nicely all the way around. When the full power comes, and the tyres are still a bit cold, or one wheel is on the kerb, that’s when it happens.”

“That’s too much power for the rear axle. You have to apply the throttle in moderation. But these are the finer points a young driver still has to learn.”

About the author

Tanish Chachra

Tanish Chachra is the Motorsport editor at The SportsRush. He saw his first race when F1 visited India in 2011, and since then, his romance with the sport has been seasonal until he took up this role in 2020. Reigniting F1's coverage on this site, Tanish has fallen in love with the sport all over again. He loves Kimi Raikkonen and sees a future world champion in Oscar Piastri. Away from us, he loves to snuggle inside his books.

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