We’ve seen it clearly in the first three rounds of 2025. In modern Formula 1, one of the aspects that makes this sport so fascinating and unique is disappearing. Overtakes are becoming more and more rare, and we’re increasingly seeing trains of drivers following each other without attacking: Jeremy Clarkson’s solution is interesting… strange that no one has thought of it before.
For years now, one of the most discussed topics in Formula 1—one that has driven many longtime fans away—is the lack of battles on track. Compared to the “golden years,” the cars are bigger, more complex, and make overtaking difficult. To make overtaking easier, the technical regulations were overhauled in 2022, introducing cars that, on paper, should have been able to follow each other.
But today, as we’ve seen, we can say that this new regulation must be considered a total failure. In the last GP in Japan, the issue became strikingly evident. Among the top eight drivers, there was only one position change from qualifying to the race: that between Lewis Hamilton and Isack Hadjar. The top three followed each other at close distance for all 53 laps without giving us any real battle.
To try to encourage overtaking, Jeremy Clarkson proposes an idea that the Federation should adopt. “I have an idea to make Formula 1 races more exciting. Don’t use circuits where overtaking is difficult, if not impossible,” he wrote on his X profile. “I understand the cars are big, but at this point, everyone knows that.”
“Let’s ignore the ‘incentives’ that come from certain countries and include suitable circuits in the calendar. In the end, the biggest revenues always come from the fans. What I saw at Suzuka gave me the same feeling as watching cricket.” – the English television presenter, journalist, farmer, and author concluded.
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