Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22
Trend:
Mercedes pilot Valtteri Bottas says breaking his own speed record on the Baku city circuit this year is unreal.
Bottas set a record of 378 km/h on the Baku city circuit in 2016.
Changes in the configuration of the Formula 1 cars make the cars faster in the turns and slower in the straight parts of the circuit due to the big downforce, he told a press conference in Baku June 22.
"Baku has a very high-speed circuit, but this year the cars became wider and slower on the straight parts. So I am afraid we will not see last year's speed this year," he said.
At the same time, the average lap time is likely to decrease, according to Bottas.
The 2017 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held in Baku on June 23-25.