Ralf Schumacher, uncle of Haas F1 rookie Mick Schumacher, has said he believes his nephew won’t have it easy against Nikita Mazepin this year.
READ: Nico Rosberg Urges Fans & Media To Go Easy On Mick Schumacher
The youngsters will both drive for the Haas F1 Team in 2021, with them being the only all-rookie driver line-up on the grid.
Schumacher won the 2020 Formula Two Championship, while Mazepin finished fifth – and most F1 fans are expecting the young German to come out on top against his Haas team-mate.
However, Ralf Schumacher believes Mazepin could give him a hard time in his debut season.
READ: Honda Say New Power Unit Will ‘Exceed’ 2020 Mercedes Engine
“I still say Mazepin, along with the great support of his father, also has a certain amount of talent and very good preparation,” Ralf said this week.
“He is anything but easy to iron out in the team.”
Continuing, he stressed that Mick’s success in the junior categories don’t mean anything in Formula One and he will be judged solely on his F1 performances.
“The question is which rookie will get around the track faster now,” he said.
“He [Mick] will have found his way around the team now, but it’s a process that takes a long time. We hope Mick can master this task.”
Schumacher, who raced in junior series with the support of the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA), could race with the Scuderia in Formula One as early as 2023, according to Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto.
“I’m really expecting him to prove how fast he is in an F1 context, both in qualifying and the race, to prove he is very strong in race pace and consistent in terms of bringing the car home in a good position,” Binotto said in December.
READ: Lewis Hamilton Slams Vatican Over ‘Unacceptable’ Ban On Blessing Same-Sex Unions
“The Ferrari Driver Academy was not created to raise Formula 1 drivers, but the next driver for Ferrari. Today it is too early to decide but there are the premises to see Mick in red in 2023.”