The Uralkali Haas F1 Team go into this weekends Hungarian Grand Prix looking to end the first half of the season on a high, with the traditional summer break commencing after the weekend.
Both Haas rookies Mick Schumacher and Nikita Mazepin have had success at the circuit in their junior category days, Schumacher claimed his first ever Formula 2 win at the Hungaroring in 2019 whereas Mazepin won at the circuit in 2018 whilst competing in GP3.
With overtaking being very difficult at the circuit, this weekend could be Haas’s best chance of pushing towards the top half of the field if they are in the right position to capitalise on others mistakes.
No matter what happens this weekend, Team Principal Guenther Steiner is aware of just how important the summer break will be for the team after their difficult start to the season.
“It’s very important for the team to have some time off, especially during COVID times where there are a lot of triple-headers, and also rest before we go into the second half of the season which will be as tough, if not tougher. It’s very important that they can see they still have time at home with their families, even if at the moment they are pretty tired. I’m sure they all plan to take some time off and recharge batteries.
“The summer break is important and at the moment there is no talk about getting rid of this in the future, even if there are more events coming. I think once COVID is over, the planning for Formula 1 will be – not necessarily easier – but a lot more predictable. At the moment, it is unpredictable what is happening in each country therefore we’re having quite a tough schedule. I’m sure we will get organized and make it possible to have a big calendar and still have the summer break.”