Nikita Mazepin is a much talked about driver in Formula 1, and actually was before his debut at Haas. This is just not for the reason he probably hoped. However, the Russian driver thinks that opinions about him are going to change.
Mazepin is in a tricky position anyway: as a 'pay driver', who in short pays for his seat, he first has to prove that he has the necessary talent. So far, he hasn't exactly succeeded in doing so.
He himself acknowledges that his debut in Formula One has not been the easiest. "But to be honest I didn't expect that either," Mazepin said in conversation with Motorsport.com. "There's a reason there are only 20 seats available because the level is incredibly high and so are the demands. What makes F1 special is that everyone is very good, no matter what position you are fighting for. So it's always difficult, whether you're fighting for P1, P10 or P20."
As for the public opinion of him, which has taken a hit thanks to images on his social media, the rookie thinks it will be fine. "Everyone has good times and bad times on social media. Even those who are loved now were once hated. But I'm sure the more time I spend in Formula One, and the better the results become, that will change too," Mazepin said.