Does Mazepin's car need a diet? 'It's too fat!'
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Nikita Mazepin is not having a good time. His Haas is not a competitive car and the Russian did not score any points. On top of that, he has been criticised by other drivers. And on top of that he has a car that is way too heavy.
French fries and burgers
Earlier this season Mazepin complained about his Haas' chassis, which was said to be significantly heavier than teammate Mick Schumacher's. In Belgium, Mazepin was given a lighter chassis. When this chassis was damaged during free practice in Qatar, the Russian was forced to revert to the old, thus heavier chassis.
Needless to say, Mazepin is pretty bummed about the move back to the old cockpit. "I'm back to the heavy chassis," he tells Motorsport.com. "As I said before, its handling is fine. But it's just not ideal for lap time when you're carrying extra weight. There's a reason why drivers don't eat chips and burgers. The chassis is a bit too thick for me. "
Quick return?
The Haas has been sluggish this season. An extra heavy car is not helping either. Mazepin therefore hopes to get rid of the heavy chassis soon. "We still have two races to go. I hope to get the damaged chassis back in Abu Dhabi, but I am focusing on the work I have to do. I just have to maximise it. If the chassis doesn't come back until the end of the year, I'm happy to have been introduced to the new chassis. I saw the potential in Mexico and Brazil."