Many drivers lament the presence of the chicane that splits Paul Ricard's long Mistral straight, but the venue still delivers big numbers when it comes to top speed.
Maximum velocity is obviously dependent on aerodynamic load as well as outright power, but it was perhaps still surprising to see Daniel Ricciardo Renault clock in with the best top speed.
The Aussie's 342.5 km/h recorded by the speed trap nicely supports the French manufacturer's claimed improvements of its most recent specification power unit.
It was but a small edge however for the Renault-powered car as three Ferrari-equipped drivers - Kimi Raikkonen, Antonio Giovinazzi and Sebastian Vettel - were hot on Ricciardo's heels.
French Grand Prix poleman Lewis Hamilton rode the Mistral straight at 338.6 km/h but we know the Mercedes W10 is in a league of its own in Paul Ricard's third six-corner winding sector.
Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers
Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter
Max Verstappen has made a significant move away from the Formula 1 cockpit by welcoming…
Lando Norris' uphill battle to revive his Formula 1 title challenge has become even steeper…
Michael Schumacher was aptly nicknamed 'the Kaiser' in Germany, but the F1 legend was also…
Formula 1's newest technical headache is set to take centre stage at Spa-Francorchamps this weekend,…
One of the longest-serving members of Max Verstappen's championship-winning inner circle has officially turned the…
The Formula 1 rumour mill has been working overtime, but Max Verstappen's camp has finally…