Valtteri Bottas said he was “confused” by his “weird” lack of performance in Azerbaijan, which left him unable to match Aston Martin’s pace.

The Finn has endured many more bad moments than good so far this year and Baku was a new low, for he did not finish higher than ninth in any timed session.

In the race, the Mercedes driver, who had started 10th, eventually finished 12th and at one point was in danger of finding himself challenged for a second time this season by George Russell – the duo had crashed at Imola when the Williams man was trying to overtake.