Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Mattia Binotto has downplaye𝓀d the Italian squad’s supposed straight-line speed advantage over Mercedes.

At the Chinese Grand Pri✃x, Mercedes claimed GPS data showed Ferrari held a significant top speed advantage on Shanghai’s long straights, though the Scuderia struggled to challenge the reigning world champions as it recorded a third consecutive one-two finish.

Ferrari has been tipped to retur😼n to form at next weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but Binotto doubts his team will have a big performance advantage over its ꦛrivals.

“If you look at the speed of Mercedes [in China], I thought they 🐎were very strong as well,” Binotto said.

“So maybe we should ask them how the𝔍y are so good. I don’t think there is much on the stra🐭ights between us and the others.

“Baku is a circuit where you have got a different aero configuration, certainly, so I think it’s not only power units, it will be aero configuꦛration we may choose for there.

“It’s not only the straight in Baku, it’s a lot of📖 corners. It’s a city circuit, very difficult in that respect. So let’s see.

“I think that🐼 the competition is very tough, and there are races where you are maybe in fro♑nt a few hundred of tenths, and races where you are behind.

“More important is to keep up the develop🌠ment of the car, because it will be a very long race, 18 races to go.”

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton is fully expecting Ferrari to retain its straight-line speed advantage over Merce🥀des in Baku.

“I’ve not really looked into detail why they weren’t a🎃s quick,” he said. “They were quick on the straights, they were gaining something like four-tenths on the straights overall, but they were losing in the corners.

“I think it’ll be interesting to see how long they keep that strategy. At some places, it w🐷ill be great, like probably the next race is going to be really good for them in that respect. But⛄ then in others, maybe not so much.

“It’s a really, really great track,” Hamilton added. “And it’s one that I’ve honestly struggled with a bit, particularly last year, I can’t remember the yea💝r before that. So it’ll be interesting.

“I go there w♚ith a mindset that I’ve got to try and improve on my previous years’ performance. I was fortunate to get the win there last year, but I wasn’t quick enough really through the weekend.

“That’s a place where I expect Valtteri to be quick. I think Ferrari is going to be particular🐈ly quick.”