Formula 1 drivers say Silverstone’s new track surface is still bumpy in some places but expect they will lap it quicker than last year.

The track surface has been re-laid for the second time in as many years after last year’s Moto GP race was cancelled due to drainage problems after heavy rain at the track. The camber has been changed at some corners to help rainwater run off the surface.

However Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo predicted the Moto GP riders won’t be happy with the bumps at some parts of the track

“The new surface is pretty good,” said Ricciardo. “Still bumpy in some areas but it’s fine, for us it’s alright.

“I think the Moto GP guys are going to be pretty angry at turn six [Brooklands]. Turn six is pretty bad.

“But the rest is fine and it offers quite a lot of grip. It’s coming in. Initially, this morning , it was slick. But I think once we got rid of that oily top layer it was pretty good.”

Max Verstappen agreed the bumps at Brooklands are “quite bad, I would say worse than last year.”

“Going into Copse, turn nine, is also quite bad,” he added. “Those are the tricky ones. In general the Tarmac is good, it has more grip. But again it’s quite bumpy in some places.”

However Pierre Gasly says the surface is improving quickly.

“We thought it would be really slippery but in the end from FP1 we are already faster than last year,” said the Red Bull drivers. “So it’s quite interesting. I’m not sure if the track will improve again even more tomorrow but probably we’ll be faster than last year.”

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2019 F1 season