15/05/2023
NEWS STORY
George Russell has revealed that drivers intend speaking to the FIA and F1 about the lack of overtaking this season.
While the subject made the headlines following - no pun intended - the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the fact is that while the new regulations introduced last year allowed cars to follow more closely, the age-old problem of actually overtaking remains.
There are a number of reasons, including engineers getting on top of the rules to create more downforce and lesser slipstream effect, not forgetting the decision to shorten some of the existing zones.
Such was the processional nature of the Baku race, a number of drivers spoke out, while Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff described the event as "boring".
George Russell, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, says that drivers are to raise the issue with F1 and the FIA.
"We all want the best races, the most exciting races," he said. "And there's probably a few easier ways to achieve this in the short term, like tyre degradation, you know, it's been easy one-stops in the last couple of races.
"When everybody's pushing flat out, there are less exciting races," he added, "and obviously the DRS has gone in the wrong direction.
"So there's a couple of small things, but you know, for sure, we're going to speak with the FIA and F1 about this because, you know, we want to be able to race, we want to be able to fight, as we all did in in go-karts, where there was no aerodynamics. That's the ultimate dream.
"I think the sport took a really good turn for the better when these new cars were introduced," he insisted, "but we need to take it to the next step now."
However, the Mercedes driver admits that there must not be a knee-jerk reaction.
"For a couple of races now it's been challenging to overtake," he said. "For sure, Baku wasn't the most exciting race in the world. But there are a number of factors for that, but there should never be a knee-jerk reaction, but we were all talking about this issue prior to the race in Baku, and then the race obviously went on to be as dull as we all expected.
"It's challenging for everybody," he admitted. "Obviously, we're pushing Pirelli to deliver a good tyre, a consistent tyre and when it is difficult, you know, the drivers, myself included, we don't like it. But in an ideal world, you have a very strong tyre, which at a certain point falls off the cliff and means you have to do a few more pit stops and gives it some different opportunities in the races. But yeah, I'm not too sure really."
Esteban Ocon agrees that the lack of tyre deg is also a significant factor.
"Shortening up the DRS things doesn't help at all," said the Frenchman. "But there is something that, you know, we haven't been through yet, is that we've done three races with no degradation at the moment, which, you know, creates more difficulties to overtake I think.
"In Bahrain, we've seen much more overtaking than the last three and there was no deg in Australia, no deg in Jeddah, no deg in Baku. I think as soon as there's a bit more degradation, there's more fights and more fun on track."
"F1 created these regulations to help overtaking and following," said Russell, "and since they were introduced every single team has sort of developed naturally away from their initial intentions, as you sort of develop the car.
"So every car on the grid is very different compared to what, let's say, they were intended to look like 18 months ago or two years ago now or whenever it was.
"I think the overtaking is slowly getting more difficult but also because the slipstream isn't as large as well with these new cars so it's slowly going in the wrong direction for overtaking."