Nikita Mazepin Q&A: Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Reflecting on the Monaco Grand Prix, it was probably your most complete race weekend of the season so-far. What are your takeaways from Monaco in terms of your own performance and the team around you?

“Monaco was a very complete weekend, in terms of laps and an overall understanding between myself and the team. It was very needed to have a weekend like this – at the stage of the season we’re at, it’s good to start properly building. I was very happy with the work we did together. I’m looking forward to carrying the momentum forward.”

 

You talked post-race about the intensity of racing in Monaco and the level of concentration required lap after lap. People tend to focus on the physicality of being a race car driver, but do you focus on any mental preparation ahead of races and how does that translate behind the wheel?

“I think out of my experience in racing, obviously the physical part is something you focus on from the moment you really leave go-karts for cars, but to be able to sustain good concentration levels for two hours – it’s something you definitely require the most. I have a special training routine that I use in order to be able to sustain that and hopefully improve throughout racing.”

 

We head to another street circuit now, but one that couldn’t be more different from Monaco, with Baku City Circuit one of the longest layouts on the 2021 calendar topping out at 6.003-kilometers (3.730-miles). Talk us through the nature of the circuit and the engineering comprise of maximizing the speed on the straights with aerodynamic grip to navigate the Old Town sector of the track.  

“Baku City Circuit is a very interesting circuit, it’s unlike most street circuits where normally you don’t get up to high speed. The track is quite a smooth surface, reasonably new tarmac from my experience there in 2019. You have massively long straights, super high speeds, and big braking points. The track is cool because it contains the Old Town as well, which is super tight – a bit of a Monaco type section, but in general it’s a huge difference from Monaco, but another challenge in a Formula 1 car that I need to take on. I’m quite curious to experience the speeds we’ll reach on the main straight. It’ll be interesting to see what will happen in Baku.”

 

While this will be your maiden Azerbaijan Grand Prix start you have race experience of the Baku City Circuit from the 2019 Formula 2 season – including a top ten finish in the Feature race. Does the track suit your driving style and how you like the car to be balanced, and what else did you learn from your previous visit that you can carry into your return to Baku in Formula 1?

“I had quite a good experience in Baku in F2 back in 2019, although it was just at the beginning of my career there. Baku definitely requires confidence in the car, and I was only building then. I think I’ll be much more ready for the challenge, and knowing the circuit is a privilege going into it.”