Valtteri Bottas has heaped praise on the Mugello ci🔜rcuit after topping both Friday Formula 1 practice sessions for the Tuscan Grand Prix.

The Finn was ꦐthe man to beat in Friday practice, ending both sessions clear at the top of the🃏 timesheets as he looks to win his first race since the season-opening Austrian Grand Prix.

The 🐟high-speed nature of the Mugello circuit ha🀅s left many F1 drivers in awe of it and Bottas is no different.

“It’s a lot of fun, really cool, especially after we go into Turn One, t🃏he first sect𒁏ion the old section is fantastic and the second sector is also amazing, so I really enjoyed every single lap today,” Bottas said.

“It’s one of the most physical tracks, no doubt about it. I still think we’ll o🥂nly see it in the race distance, once the fatigue starts to build up, but could even see that today. It’s going to be a tough Sunday for e🌜veryone, but I’m definitely ready for it, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Bottas held the advantage oꦰver teammate Hamilton in the opening two-thirds of the lapꩵ, with Hamilton clawing back some time in the final sector.

He remains confident of finding further improvements as he looks to be♔at Hamilton and Max Verstappen to pole position.

“In the first session I st▨ruggled quite a bit with understeer, and still in some places in the second session, but it was definitely better. ♎There’s still quite a bit of lap time to unlock, as it always happens on a track where you and the cars haven’t been to.

“As a driver you tend to find pretty bi💛g gains from one day to🅰 the other, so I think that from the car, but even more so from the drivers, we will find performance.”

The high-speed nature of the 🀅circuit, as well as the hot weather forecast, means tyres will be put under extra strain in Sunday’s race.

“It is tough, it’s a really high-energy circuit for the tyres, but it was quite a bit better than what we expected, so, that’s good news,” B📖ottas added. “Always, in the high-speed corners, we are going to be overheating and Sunday is going to be pretty hot as well.”