In the final stages, the topic of swinging straight has all but disappeared, but Haas driver Mick Schumacher believes the problem may return at Zandort due to the idiosyncrasies of the car setup on the Dutch circuit.
Q: What are your memories of last year’s race in Zandvoort?
Mick Schumacher: Profiled curves appeared on the track and it was noticeably different from the version I raced a few years ago. I love Zandvoort – the track is interesting, the fans create a happy atmosphere, the sea is nearby. I’m happy to be back.
Q: Is the Zandvoort track suitable for the VF-22?
Mick Schumacher: It’s hard to say whether the track fits our car or not. Hope so. We can say with confidence that it will be difficult to compare with last year. Newer machines have more mechanical grip. This made it harder than we wanted on tracks like Baku. I think Zandvoort will also be on this list. For banking, you have to lower the car as low on the track as possible, but this year, the lower we lower the suspension, the more pronounced the build-up on the straights.
Question: One of the features of the track is the banking. Can you explain what the rider thinks about it, and do the benches give more opportunities to overtake?
Mick Schumacher: The profile of the track allows you to pass these bends faster. At the same time, the physical strain on the neck is increasing, but in Zandvoort the neck has always had a hard time. There are still a lot of laps to go in the race, there are a lot of fast corners on the track, the cars need to be tuned for high downforce – it should be interesting.
If you are in good physical shape, you will endure all the burdens and get more opportunities that can come from the mistakes of your opponents. On circuits with closed walls and gravel safety zones, there is always a chance to regain position.
Q: Does the team have time during the build phases to optimize the car or are you just collecting data for analysis?
Mick SchumacherA: I’m sure we can adjust the settings and understand the car better. I hope the new products will live up to the hopes and reduce the backlog. It would be great if the breaks between races were longer – then we would have more time to analyze the data. During the construction phases, you have to work harder to prepare properly.
Source: F1 News
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