Jeremy Clarkson has recommended how F1 can resolve its overtaking downside following a tedious Japanese Grand Prix.
Sunday’s grand prix at Suzuka proved to be a 53-lap snooze fest because the drivers struggled to overhaul as a result of challenge of soiled air affecting the automobile’s aerodynamic efficiency.
Issues have been raised that this season might change into a “qualifying world championship”, with all 4 races up to now (together with the China dash) received by the motive force beginning on pole place.
Whereas the Chinese language Grand Prix was hardly a thriller, Japan was significantly processional, with simply 15 overtakes accomplished and 11 of the 20 drivers ending the race in the identical place they began it.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was the one driver inside the highest 10 to achieve a place.
Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the season for Purple Bull, having resisted race-long strain from the chasing McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Loads of followers have been left disgruntled by the shortage of motion, together with former High Gear host and F1 paddock common Clarkson.
Clarkson took to social media to share a easy repair – by urging F1 to keep away from utilizing tracks the place overtaking is tough.
“I’ve had an concept to make F1 racing extra constantly thrilling. Don’t use tracks the place overtaking is tough,” Clarkson wrote on X (previously Twitter).
“Positive. The automobiles are larger so settle for that, ignore the “incentives”, and use tracks which can be appropriate. Finally, the income comes from followers. At all times.
“That F1 race this morning gave me an concept of what it could be like to look at cricket.”
Even F1 drivers have been bored
It was not simply followers left bored by the tepid grand prix, with Norris saying: “It was flat-out from begin to end however the tempo was too much like do something.
“Max drove a great race with no errors, and it in the end got here all the way down to qualifying positions.”
F1 rookie Gabriel Bortoleto commented: “It was not so tough only a bit boring to remain behind [the car in front].
“Even when you have extra tempo, which was my case in direction of the top of the race, it was not sufficient to have that basically large tempo benefit.
“I attempted two instances [to overtake] however I wasn’t in a position to be facet by facet on the finish of the straight. A disgrace however we transfer on.”
Nonetheless, Fernando Alonso, who completed simply outdoors of the factors in eleventh, identified that F1 drivers all the time discover one thing to complain about.
“Perhaps one cease was not possibly the enjoyable race that we have been hoping for, and up to now with a number of stops, possibly there is a tyre distinction,” he mentioned.
“When we do not have grip we complain that there isn’t a grip, and when now we have too many stops we complain the tyres do not final, so as a substitute of seeing the damaging a part of the weekend, I attempt to take pleasure in what we skilled this weekend, and it was one other nice Suzuka.”
