The 2021 season was perhaps Haas’ worst season in their F1 history, sporting two rookie drivers on the grid. With Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin in charge of the driver duties, the team scored no points throughout the season and had to bear heavy repair costs, owing to the mistakes of both drivers. Two years on Guenther Steiner reveals how the season was one of the team’s most educational periods.
Highlighting the dilemma around fielding two rookies against a grid that had drivers such as Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc, Steiner shared his insights on how challenging such a setup could be, which was quoted in a report by F1 Maximaal.
“I mean, I think we’ve learned enough to say that with two rookies your hands are more than full.”, said Steiner.
Still a relatively young team in F1, the financial burden from 2021 weighed heavy on Haas, who need all the money they can get to ensure peak levels of development. However, the repair costs and the budget cap made it nearly impossible for the team to spend enough on the R&D of their cars.
Steiner added, “It would be very difficult” for the team to afford the testing and associated costs, owing, once again, to the budget cap.
Ultimately, the American F1 team decided to move away from sporting rookie drivers and opted to field experienced drivers. As such, they brought in Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen to replace both their drivers from 2021.
What are the 2021 Haas drivers doing now?
Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Russian driver Nikita Mazepin faced entry denials and sanctions, which made it difficult for the 24-year-old to get his racing career back on track.
The driver could not get entry into the UK to talk to F1 teams about a potential future in the sport after he lost a court case seeking permission for the same. Thus, Mazepin, alongside his father, went to Milan on a National Visa to talk to the teams while the rest of Europe remained closed to him.
Meanwhile, Mick Schumacher has had it much better than his 2021 teammate. In late November, the German driver joined forces with Alpine and will be a part of their WEC lineup starting in 2024. Having completed the testing in October, Alpine was keen on housing the 24-year-old in their WEC lineup and was quick to iron out a deal.
Alongside driving in the WEC, Schumacher will keep one foot in the world his father once dominated by also serving the reserve driver role for Mercedes.
