Formula 1: Nikita Mazepin pulls off huge achievement
By Asher Fair
Nikita Mazepin had what was easily his best Formula 1 race and entire race weekend this past weekend at Circuit de Monaco.
Entering the tightest and arguably most challenging circuit on the Formula 1 schedule after having spun out 11 times through his first four starts, rookie Nikita Mazepin wasn’t exactly in a position where many would have had a positive outlook ahead of Sunday’s Monaco Grand Prix.
But things went rather smoothly for the 22-year-old Russian ahead of this 78-lap race around the 19-turn, 2.074-mile (3.338-kilometer) temporary street circuit in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
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He didn’t make any notable mistakes in any of the three practice sessions leading up to qualifying, and he kept it clean in qualifying as well to qualify in 19th place.
Of course, rookie teammate Mick Schumacher didn’t take part in this session after a heavy crash in the third and final practice.
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So through five races, Mazepin has yet to outqualify another driver on pure pace. However, his solid weekend continued in a big way — relatively speaking, of course — in the race itself.
It did not take long for Schumacher to pass Mazepin for 18th place (not 19th, as polesitter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari did not start the race due to mechanical issues). However, Mazepin stayed clean the entire race and ended up placing 17th, one spot higher than Schumacher.
Prior to this race, Mazepin had not finished higher than another driver on-track in any race. In fact, he had finished behind more drivers who had not finished (one, Aston Martin’s Sebastian Vettel in Imola) than he had finished ahead of drivers who had finished (none).
Now he has not only finished ahead of somebody else, but he has finally beaten his teammate.
Additionally, for the first time in five attempts, he ran a completely clean race weekend — and he did it on the tight streets of Monte Carlo. He didn’t spin, a first, and he also wasn’t penalized at all. He had been penalized two races in a row entering the Monaco Grand Prix.
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Will Mazepin’s solid race weekend translate to more success throughout the remainder of his rookie season in Formula 1? The next race on the schedule, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, is set to be broadcast live from Baku City Circuit on ESPN beginning at 8:00 a.m. ET.