Bottas: Removing Mistral chicane would improve Paul Ricard

  • Published on 25 Jun 2019 10:27
  • comments 5
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Valtteri Bottas believes the Circuit Paul Ricard can be improved by removing the chicane that breaks up the Mistral Straight.

The chicane has been in use for the last two years since the French Grand Prix has returned to the calendar, with most of the overtaking occurring into that corner.

However, Bottas says that it would be more exciting if the chicane was removed in order to see some high speed overtakes into the Signes and Double Droite du Beausset corners.

"It would be a lot better without the chicane, to aid overtaking," Bottas said. "There are tracks that are much more difficult to overtake than here, but it would make the track a bit cooler.

"There would be some really nice overtakes at the end of the back straight at very high speeds so that would be cool. But now there's a chicane and we have to go around it."

'Super competitive' between Mercedes drivers

After eight races in 2019, Bottas is 36 points behind teammate Lewis Hamilton, who leads the drivers' standings.

Bottas sees their fight this year as close as its ever been, mentioning the tightness of their qualifying battle in which Bottas has an average advantage of 0.075s. 

"It's super competitive this year, of course it has been before but it's been close between Lewis and me, closer than ever in qualifying," Bottas said. "And also from my side, in terms of race pace, it's been better than '17 and '18.

"But I think race pace is something that I need to focus on and improve. It's going to be all about small margins and taking the opportunities at each race weekend." 

xoya

Posts: 583

Removing asphalt and placing grass/gravel in the runoff area is the only thing that could improve this abomination of a track.

  • 2
  • Jun 25 2019 - 17:02

Replies (5)

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  • JuJuHound

    Posts: 352

    Wasn't this chicane best place with braking point to make overtaking manouvers?

    • + 0
    • Jun 25 2019 - 10:50
  • abhidbgt

    Posts: 283

    Then it would have been better suited to Ferrari.

    • + 0
    • Jun 25 2019 - 15:08
  • f1dave

    Posts: 782

    Removing all that paint would be even better.

    • + 0
    • Jun 25 2019 - 15:51
  • xoya

    Posts: 583

    Removing asphalt and placing grass/gravel in the runoff area is the only thing that could improve this abomination of a track.

    • + 2
    • Jun 25 2019 - 17:02
    • I'm not sure I'd fancy beached cars over surface that just roughs the tyres up a bit. :)

      • + 0
      • Jun 25 2019 - 19:13

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