Mazepin not afraid of teammate: 'I've beaten him before'

Nikita Mazepin and Mick Schumacher are a duo at Haas this season. The two rookies will want to prove themselves at all costs in their debut season and Mazepin is looking forward to competing against Schumacher.

Mazepin and Schumacher are not teammates for the first time. The new Haas pair have driven together in karts before embarking on their single-seat careers. Schumacher has since won titles in Formula 2 and Formula 3, while Mazepin's best result in 2018 is a second place in the F3 championship. Last year in Formula 2, Mazpein finished fifth in the championship with 51 points less than Schumacher.

Despite the statistics speaking in Schumacher's favour, Mazepin sees his chances positively. “I’ve done it before [beaten him], when we’ve competed in the same car. I’ve also been beaten by Mick when we’ve competed in the same car," Mazepin explains to FormulaSpy.com. "I think it’s all up for grabs. He is a very good racing driver, which is an obvious fact.”

Mazepin has not exactly been uncontroversial in the run-up to the season. Primarily because of his behaviour on and off the track, but also because of the Russian's perception that he is in Formula One because of his father's money. “I’m not the only driver who’s having to deal with. But it doesn’t really bother me because I’m proud of my family. I’m proud of my father, and I’m not taking this in a negative way.”

So for Mazepin there is only one thing to do next season, show what he can do on the track. That is how he sees it. "I have to prove myself in Formula One, and I’m going to do it.”