Nikita Mazepin Q&A: United States Grand Prix
October 19, 2021
Nikita Mazepin previews this weekend's United States Grand Prix, as Formula 1 returns to Austin for the first time in two years.
We arrive at Uralkali Haas F1 Team’s home race – the United States Grand Prix – for Round 17 of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. Have you been to the States before and what are you most looking forward to off-track this week?
“It’s a very interesting venue, it’s a cool track and I’ve never raced there so I’m looking forward to get out there. It’s a track that requires a lot of rhythm, so hopefully I find it quickly!”
You haven’t raced around this track before, but it’s instantly recognizable with many of the corners have hosted famous battles previously. Which section are you most looking forward to racing around and have you ever faced anything like the uphill run into Turn 1 before?
“I think I’m looking forward most to the sector 1 high-speeds corners, as I think they’re very tricky. Turn 1 reminds me very much of Turn 3 in Austria, but I’ll need to walk it first to make a complete assumption.”
Although we’ve left Europe, the cold weather is set to follow us. You’ve mentioned before that the tires are the hardest thing to learn to manage in Formula 1, pardon the pun but do you think you’ve got a better grip on them coming into the latter stages of the season?
“Obviously, experience really helps. I’m not sure what the weather’s going to be at the US Grand Prix yet, but it also very much depends on which compounds we’ve got for the race so hopefully all the experience I’ve gathered at the beginning and middle of the year I can carry on to later stages.”