F1 News
Steiner: 'My first wish is that the coronavirus pandemic goes away'
- GPblog.com
Haas is by far the most troubled team of the season. A substandard car and two young inexperienced drivers who sometimes get in each others way on the track. The American team has put all its hopes on 2022 and will just have to wait it out this season.
First DNF for Schumacher
In Haas' preview of the Turkish Grand Prix, we first look back at the Russian Grand Prix. Nikita Mazepin drove his home race there. "Because Uralkali was our title sponsor, there was a lot going on. He filmed some before and after the event in Moscow, so he got the feeling of the reality of what it is to be a Formula One driver, " says team principal Guenther Steiner.
Mick Schumacher crashed out in Sochi for the first time this season. "He held his head high and didn't get frustrated, because so far he has had a pretty good run with no mechanical failures". Mazepin finished just eighteenth in Russia. The Russian's best result this season is a fourteenth place in Azerbaijan.
Improved tarmac in Istanbul
Last year the asphalt in Istanbul proved to be rather slippery, but adjustments have been made for that for this season. "I hear they've polished it more, so we should have more grip," he said. Mazepin and Schumacher will be driving in Istanbul for the first time this weekend. "I think for them Istanbul is just one of the new circuits this year, there's nothing else. They've already been to circuits they've never driven at before and they've come through it well. I'm pretty sure they're preparing as well as they can."
Calendar for 2022
There is currently a lot of talk about next season's Formula One calendar, with hopes that it can return to its normal form. Expanded to 23 races. Steiner is also hoping that Formula 1 can return to normal. "My first wish is that the pandemic goes away, not only for Formula 1 but for the whole world. That we can all return to normal."
In addition, Steiner hopes for a stable calendar. "If you know exactly what's coming, you can plan much better than always with that uncertainty. The FOM has done a great job getting us through a pandemic year with lots of events for the fans. Hopefully the pandemic will pass and we can get back to normal, but otherwise I'm sure they'll find solutions and we'll have to continue another year, ducking and diving for the pandemic. I'm really looking forward to the calendar myself and looking forward to next year anyway."