LE CASTELLET, France — Valtteri Bottas is assured he has rediscovered his type at this weekend’s French Grand Prix after beating teammate Lewis Hamilton in each Friday observe classes.

Bottas was 0.008s off Max Verstappen’s quickest time in second observe at Circuit Paul Ricard on Friday and 0.245s sooner than Hamilton.

Nearer evaluation of the lap instances confirmed Hamilton was dropping most of his time on the straights, indicating he was merely working a decrease energy mode, however Bottas nonetheless seems to be extra aggressive than he was on the final spherical in Baku, the place he completed a lowly twelfth.

Hamilton was heard on crew radio saying “one thing’s not proper with this automobile” throughout observe, however performed down the feedback when chatting with the media after the session.

Bottas’ return to type and Hamilton’s crew radio remark coincide with information from Mercedes that it has swapped Hamilton’s and Bottas’ chassis for this weekend’s race.

Bottas is now utilizing chassis six, which Hamilton used for the primary six races of the season, and Hamilton is utilizing chassis 4, which Bottas switched to after damaging chassis 5 on the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in April.

Mercedes says the swap was made with a purpose to handle mileage between the varied chassis in its pool and was not associated to the current performances of the 2 automobiles.

Each chassis 4 and 6 have been crack examined by the crew forward of the weekend and located to be in good situation. Chassis three stays out there and may very well be constructed up if Hamilton believes there is a matter with chassis 4.

“It is arduous to say if it is the chassis or the observe circumstances, however there’s loads higher feeling than two weeks in the past, that is for certain,” Bottas stated after Friday observe.

“I felt we began the weekend on the correct foot, all the pieces was feeling OK, being comfy and fairly quick with the automobile thus far.”

“It is such a distinct observe, however the stability is nice, the tyres are working nicely, I am assured with the automobile, I can belief the automobile – I feel that is the largest distinction.”

Hamilton performed down ideas the chassis swap had impacted efficiency.

“It is a totally different observe, so … very hardly ever do you’ve gotten any variations between the chassis.”