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Overtaking down by 47% in 2017, according to Pirelli

Published on 05 Dec 2017 14:42
12
By: Fergal Walsh

According to data published by F1's tyre manufacturer Pirelli, overtaking fell by 47% in 2017. Before the season got underway, fans and drivers feared that overtaking would be increasingly difficult due to the new regulations creating more dirty air.

Indeed, drivers found it very difficult to follow their competitors at some tracks, leading to a number of complaints throughout the season. Information dished out by Pirelli states that 435 overtaking manoeuvres were completed in the 2017 season, an average of 21.75 per race.

These figures are down massively from the 866 overtakes that were performed in 2016, an average of 41.23 per race. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the race that saw the most overtakes this year, with 42 featuring in the hectic race. In Sochi, at the Russian Grand Prix, just a single pass was recorded.

Daniel Ricciardo holds the honour of having made the most moves stick throughout the season, a total of 43. At the British Grand Prix, he clocked in 13 overtakes, which is also the most for any driver throughout the entire season.

Ricciardo's teammate Max Verstappen was joined by Lewis Hamilton on top of the list for drivers who were overtaken the least. Both the Dutchman and the four-time world champion saw themselves slip behind another driver just twice this year.

Fergal Walsh

f1dave

Posts: 782

Mostly due to the fact that the tires needed saving.

1
Dec 5 2017 - 23:47

F1 News Max Verstappen Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Pirelli

Replies (12)

f1fan0101

Posts: 1,804
Atleast a lot of the overtakes were proper good ones
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- Dec 5 2017 - 15:48
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  I haven't particular reason, jest very like him..
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  Dec 5 2017 - 20:11
calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
Compared to 2016 or an average? 2016 was far above the average, and this is a new, high aero era, so its an unfair comparison. I expect 2018 to be better in this regard, not that Pirelli will contribute..
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- Dec 5 2017 - 17:24
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  Calle, where is...Orchide
  ?
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  Dec 5 2017 - 19:38
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  No idea. Why do you ask?
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  Dec 5 2017 - 20:06
mbmwe36

Posts: 533
Last year a lot of the overtakes were just straight DRS drive-bys. The DRS worked much better this year, so even when DRS help we still saw a lot of late braking, and generally more spectacular overtakes, whereas last year the faster driver relied too much on DRS. Of course I'd like for there to be more overtakes, but I'll take quality over quantity any day of the week.
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- Dec 5 2017 - 20:29
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  IMO, as long as the DRS do what it did in 2017, Im fine with it staying.
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  Dec 5 2017 - 22:33
ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475
From my perspective, 2017 was one of the worst in terms of racing. It would have been a disaster were it not for the Ferrari/Mercedes battle, and the intra-team battle at Force India. Other than that the lack of overtake and the lack of reliability made for underwhelming racing. I am hopeful for 2018, but I struggle to see how the show will better with (1) not changes in aero regs, and (2) less engines allowed
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- Dec 5 2017 - 21:47
- Savio
  
  Posts: 145
  I though that you watching only IndyCar in USA..
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  Dec 6 2017 - 00:00
RogerF1

Posts: 501
Are we stuck with current aero now until 2020 with the engine change? This is a poor statistic, barely one per driver per race!!!!!!! That isn’t a race, as we have witnessed. NASCAR can average over 200mph with negligible aero, there has to be a better balance. Less aero will sort out the best from the rest. Call me old fashioned.
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- Dec 5 2017 - 22:56
- RogerF1
  
  Posts: 501
  To be clearer “....one overtake per driver per race”
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  Dec 5 2017 - 22:58
f1dave

Posts: 782
Mostly due to the fact that the tires needed saving.
- + 1
- Dec 5 2017 - 23:47