SEASON REVIEW: 2021 Formula 1 World Championship – Uralkali Haas F1 Team

When the Uralkali Haas F1 Team announced at the end of the 2020 Formula One season that they wouldn’t be putting any development towards 2021, with all focus placed onto 2022, the team knew they would be in for the most challenging season they’d ever experienced. This wasn’t the team’s only challenge for 2021, with Haas fielding a brand-new line-up, Formula Two graduates Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin.

Haas were consistently last the entire season, a year which has seen both rookie drivers have to adjust to the challenge of driving the VF-21. Both Schumacher and Mazepin became all too familiar with the tyre barrier during their rookie season but did show glimpses of talent during the year, especially from Schumacher the 2020 Formula Two World Champion. Schumacher managed to escape Qualifying One twice in 2021, and towards the end of the year was right in the mix with the Williams Racing and occasionally the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN drivers.

Mazepin’s rookie year was considerably more difficult, the Russian struggled to drive the VF-21 and was much further off the pace compared to his team-mate. The Russian driver certainly didn’t make himself popular amongst the other drivers at the start of the season, after constantly failing to observe blue flags on Sunday’s. Mazepin was under the spotlight before the season had even begun, the Russian was at the centre of a social media scandal before pre-season, resulting in fan and media backlash resulting in a statement by Team Principal Guenther Steiner.

Mick Schumacher battling with both Williams Racing drivers at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Credit: Zak Mauger / LAT Images

The Highs:

Despite all the difficulties, the team did have moments during the season to be proud of. Qualifying for the French Grand Prix was a particularly proud moment for the team, with Schumacher making it into Qualifying Two for Haas’s first time in 2021, the moment was slightly downsided by the fact Schumacher was unable to take part in Qualifying Two after heavily crashing at the end of Qualifying One. Nevertheless it was a big moment for the team who for the majority of the season started with both cars on the last row.

The Hungarian Grand Prix was Haas’s best single result of the season, with Schumacher again excelling for the team, this time in difficult conditions during the race at the Hungaroring. For a brief moment it looked like the team were heading for their first points of the season, the German unfortunately just missed out though but did claim the team’s best result of 2021 in twelfth, and even enjoyed a brief battle with Max Verstappen!

Under normal conditions the team’s strongest weekends pace wise came at the Qatar and Abu Dhabi Grand Prix’s, at both of these Grand Prix’s Schumacher was considerably closer to the midfield and was right in the mix especially with Williams. However as a team their strongest joint result came at the chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where after capitalising on others misfortune, Schumacher finished thirteenth with Mazepin in fourteenth.

Schumacher battling with Max Verstappen at the Hungarian Grand Prix – Credit: Andy Hone / LAT Images

The Lows:

Unfortunately for Haas, there was a fair few low moments in 2021, kicking-off with the opening round of the season at the Bahrain Grand Prix. Mazepin’s race came to an end at the third corner of the opening lap, after being too greedy on the accelerator and sliding into the barrier. Schumacher suffered a similar issue at the safety car restart for Mazepin’s crash, the German span on exit of Turn 4 after being too quick on the gas. The German’s spin was harmless luckily and Schumacher made it to the end of the race, however both Haas drivers spinning at the opening Grand Prix summed up the season they were about to experience.

The season didn’t get much better for Haas at the following Emilia Romagna Grand Prix at the famous Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari. Pace wise it was one of Haas’s worst results of the season, with Schumacher over two minutes behind the leader and Mazepin over three minutes. The race at Imola also saw both drivers in the wars yet again, Mazepin was unfortunate to collide with Nicholas Latifi at the start of the race, after the Canadian unsafely rejoined the circuit. The incident brought out the safety car, which Schumacher spun under and struck the barrier at Turn 1, enough so to break his front-wing.

Despite the obvious weakness of the VF-21, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was the only event in which both Haas drivers retired from the same race, both retired after heavy crashes. It was a scary Sunday for the Haas team, Schumacher brought out the races first red flag after crashing heavily at Turn 21, the rear of his VF-21 slid out on the helpless German who’s impact with the barrier made his car look ready for the scrap. At the following restart Mazepin’s race was brought to a sudden end, the Russian was caught up in chaos at Turn 3 and couldn’t avoid crashing heavily into the back of George Russell in what was an expensive weekend for the team.

Nikita Mazepin being checked on after crashing at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix (driver was ok) – Credit: Sam Bloxham / LAT Images

Qualifying Battle:

When it came to qualifying, Schumacher was undeniably dominant over his Russian team-mate, the German out-qualified Mazepin on twenty out of twenty-two occasions in 2021. The two occasions where Mazepin out-qualified Schumacher at the Monaco and Hungarian Grand Prix’s, Schumacher failed to take part in the session. It was slightly closer when it came to the three sprint qualifying trials in 2021, with Schumacher finishing above Mazepin on two out of three occasions.

Schumacher during qualifying at the French Grand Prix – Credit: Zak Mauger / LAT Images

Race Battle:

When it came to race day, Schumacher still ended the year clear of Mazepin, the German finished above the Russian sixteen times during the 2021 season. Mazepin was only able to out-finish the German six times in 2021. In Mazepin’s defence, the Russian was unable to take part in the final race of the season after testing positive for COVID-19.

Neither driver achieved a points finish in their rookie season, with Schumacher’s best result being a twelfth placed finish at Hungary, with Mazepin’s highest finish being fourteenth at Azerbaijan. The Russian also retired from more races than his better performing team-mate, Mazepin retired five times in 2021, compared to Schumacher’s three.

Mazepin battling with Latifi at the Mexican Grand Prix – Credit: Mark Sutton / LAT Images

What To Expect In 2022?:

Both rookie drivers can be proud with how they coped with the incredibly difficult 2021 season, neither driver was able to fully demonstrate their talent in the VF-21 and arguably missed out on the ideal rookie season. The entire team however showed incredible grit and determination during 2021, knowing that 2022 will be a vastly stronger season.

Haas retain both Schumacher and Mazepin for 2022, with both drivers hopefully set to be given a car capable of challenging for points finishes, albeit the lower end of the points. With all the time Haas have spent on their 2022 machinery, quite possibly the most out of any team, they should be in and around the midfield come the opening round of the season. Pre-season testing will be hugely significant for Haas, who will be hoping that sacrificing the 2021 season was the right call. The team will be looking to compete for around seventh potentially in the Constructors’ Championship, with both drivers now preparing for their second season in the sport.

Mazepin especially needs a strong start to 2022, otherwise he may begin looking over his shoulder at the likes of Robert Shwartzman, who is more than ready for Formula One. Schumacher on the other hand might be looking at the 2022 season as a chance to impress some teams higher up the field, with his dream of course being to land a seat eventually at Scuderia Ferrari and follow in his father’s footsteps.

Mazepin getting into his VF-21 for the final qualifying of 2021 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Credit: Andy Hone / LAT Images