Mick Schumacher: 'I'm very disappointed' with qualifying performance

Haas rookie Mick Schumacher finished qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 17th due to the crashes of Lance Stroll and Antonio Giovinazzi in Q1, and whilst it was his best ever qualifying result in Formula 1, he wasn't happy with his performance.

Speaking after the race, Schumacher revealed that although on paper it was his best qualifying session of 2021, it didn't feel that way. "To be honest it’s the most disappointed I’ve been with my job since being in Formula 1. The pace has been strong from my internal team and myself all weekend. It was really annoying to make a mistake on my quick lap when the tyres are only there for that one lap."

The step up from Formula 2 to Formula 1 is certainly a difficult one, and Schumacher knows he's still adapting to the new category: "Unfortunately, I haven’t managed to transfer the mindset of just finishing laps, because, from where I come from, fighting for the extra half a tenth or tenth, it can mean the difference between pole or not.

"Obviously, we’re very far from that, but I’m still trying to do my 101 percent, and today it was too much. I’m very disappointed."

Fighting for pole positions may come later in his F1 career, but for now, driving for backmarker Haas, Schumacher can only do one thing, and that's beat his teammate Nikita Mazepin. So far in qualifying, it's 5-1 in the German's favour.