Mazepin shakes down new Haas VF-21 in Bahrain

©Haas

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Haas rookie Nikita Mazepin shook down the US outfit's 2021 charger in Bahrain on Thursday, a day ahead of the start of pre-season testing at Sakhir.

Haas fired up its Ferrari-powered VF-12 for the very first time on Wednesday, having been unable to conduct the traditional fire-up moment at its base in Branbury to where Ferrari's engineers could not travel due to the COVID-19 restrictions and quarantine measures.

Today's filming day outing at Sakhir also marked Mazepin's first laps onboard a Haas car. The Russian, whose father's Uralkali fertilizer company sponsors Haas, has sampled F1 machinery in the past with Force India and Mercedes.

Only Mazepin took to the track for Haas, with teammate Mick Schumacher scheduled to make his debit at the wheel of the VF-21 on Friday afternoon.

Two other teams were in action in Bahrain on Thursday, with Ferrari putting its new SF21 through its initial paces and Aston Martin using its second filming day to put some miles on its AMR21 with Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel.

Check out the full schedule and the teams' line-ups for pre-season testing which kicks off on Friday morning right here.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.