5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

The 2017 Australian Grand Prix was a fascinating Formula 1 season-opener but it wasn’t particularly thrilling, thanks to these new cars being tougher to overtake with
5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

F1’s new era has brought awesome-looking and much faster cars to the sport, but it has had a negative impact on overtaking – well, it seems that way after the Australian GP.

Sebastian Vettel took victory in Melbourne, helped by Lewis Hamilton getting stuck behind Max Verstappen after his pit stop and struggling to find a way past.

Hamilton said after the race overtaking was “a lot worse than I anticipated” and he hopes we don’t have processional races the rest of the year.

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

It is worth pointing out that Albert Park Circuit is a tricky track to overtake on, and that it’s still very early in the season to be making firm judgements, so passing could well be easier at future races.

There are a few reasons why making a move is a more difficult task this year though, and the drivers are having to work harder to advance up the order.

1. Wider cars

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

Alongside the 2017 F1 tyres getting much fatter, the cars are wider overall too. So naturally, when you’ve got two of them side-by-side, there’s less space and less track to share. This’ll be particularly tough at narrow tracks like Monaco and – to a degree – probably made things a little trickier in Oz. It also doesn’t help that the cars are a bit longer too.

2. Braking zones

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

With more forces being put through the brakes due to the higher speeds and increased downforce, the brake discs have been increased in size from 28mm thick to 32mm. In addition to the the wider tyres, this has cut down the length of some braking zones. So, there’s less distance to play with when it comes to out-braking a competitor.

3. Turbulent air

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

These huge new aero rules not only make the cars look meaner but they also make them much quicker. But, with more downforce comes more turbulent air being created, which is making cars much harder to follow through corners.

F1 car aero works at its best in what’s known as ‘clean’ air. Turbulent air doesn’t flow over the cars as smoothly, making the aero much less effective and reducing downforce in the process.

New Mercedes recruit Valtteri Bottas explains:

“Even in the years before it’s been difficult to follow once you get within one and a half, one second just because of the turbulent air. Now, as more of the grip from the car is relying on the aero it’s a bigger effect and the cars are wider. So, now I think it’s more like two seconds or even two and a half [to feel the turbulence] and in the corners it’s more difficult to follow.”

4. Tyres

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

Because the cars are struggling to follow others, they’re sliding around and the turbulent air is making them tougher to drive. This wears the tyres more and can cause them to overheat, as we saw in Australia with Hamilton – even with these 2017 compounds being more durable. By overheating and wearing quicker, performance is reduced, making it even harder to challenge the car ahead.

5. DRS

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

DRS remains a bit of an unknown, partly because the Australian GP isn’t a great example thanks to short DRS zones. Some believe the high levels of drag will make the wing flap effect greater, but Mercedes engineering director Aldo Costa said the “DRS effect will be smaller” and a tech expert we spoke to said the lower, wider wing flaps are shallower, which also make it less effective.

5 Reasons Why Overtaking Is More Difficult In F1 This Year

It’s very early days with these beautiful new cars. Maybe they’ll fare better at the next couple of tracks F1 visits. We’ll find out soon!

What do you think of F1’s overtaking dilemma? Let us know in the comments.

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Comments

The Stig's Canadian Cousin 1

6: Max Verstappen won’t let you

03/26/2017 - 21:06 |
4 | 0
Antiprius

Unsurprising considering these rules were formulated under Bernie. Still more exciting than last 3 years, we’ll see what Brawn can do about it.

03/26/2017 - 21:57 |
2 | 2

Bernie never had a say in F1’s technical regulations. He only had control over F1 intellectual property and broadcasting rights. Jean Todt and his FIA are responsible for the technical side.

03/26/2017 - 23:48 |
2 | 0
Honda NSX

I find it that with less overtaking chances it becomes more strategical and in my opinion more interesting to watch

03/26/2017 - 22:56 |
0 | 0
ramses rizal

Add turbocharger

03/27/2017 - 01:14 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

getting fatter and fatter

03/27/2017 - 02:04 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

When the coverage focuses on a broken down car for five minutes you know the racing is boring.

Every year, and every race, people say “it should be better the next one…”.

It isn’t.

03/27/2017 - 02:09 |
18 | 6
Dat Incredible Chadkake

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

burn haha

03/27/2017 - 02:21 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

You again…

03/27/2017 - 04:07 |
4 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

It was a fine race but not awesome. and cars are closer. and well have some good races this year.

03/27/2017 - 05:14 |
0 | 0
Pedro Zanon

Why everyone thinks orvertaking is the most important thing of a race?

03/27/2017 - 02:13 |
2 | 0

top 4 car were with in 10 sec, what else do you need.

03/27/2017 - 05:13 |
2 | 0

I think there are a lot of casual watchers of F1 that cant appreciate the engineering marvels the cars are or the world class driving that we see every race so that the only thing that they understand is that overtaking -> crowd screaming -> overtaking is exciting and the same goes for crashes.
Im not saying that overtaking does not matter but i think is annoying when people call a race boring and then the only argument they have is “no crashes and few overtakes”. The first race of 2017 is a good example, i found the race really exiting but most people i ask say it was boring because there was few overtakes.

03/27/2017 - 08:35 |
4 | 0

Because most people find it exciting to watch overtaking.

03/27/2017 - 10:31 |
2 | 0
Wogmidget

Imo this year’s AGP was more interesting than the last couple, so I think there has been an improvement. If I had my way, the front wings would be MUCH less fiddly (less affected by turbulent air, and less frangible in a crash) and the engines would be 3-litre V10s like in the early 2000’s, mainly because the current cars sound like glorified vacuum cleaners.

03/27/2017 - 04:26 |
0 | 0

The world is running out of fule. F1 has always provided us the tech we use in road cars (Hybrid systems for example and paddle shifters) F1 just cant go back to V10 but I am afraid they will have to go fully electric one day, as Germany and many other countries are about to ban internal combustion.

03/27/2017 - 05:12 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Hamilton sucks!

03/27/2017 - 05:18 |
0 | 4
Anonymous

6: Drivers aren’t actually that good anymore…

03/27/2017 - 05:27 |
4 | 8
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Rubbish, they’re better then ever. Romanticism is nonsense.

03/27/2017 - 10:28 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Formula 1 is a horrible sport for comparing participants of different eras because the machinery has changed and we can’t compare times, but generally in sports techniques and skill does improve over time so why wouldn’t that be the case in F1.

03/27/2017 - 14:39 |
2 | 2