Pirelli blames modern cars for making overtaking harder than ever | F1 Singapore GP. The current generation of Formula 1 cars has made overtaking increasingly difficult.

Pirelli points the finger at current cars: why overtaking is becoming increasingly difficult – Singapore GP

Pirelli’s post-race analysis of the Singapore Grand Prix focused on one of Formula 1’s growing concerns: the lack of overtaking. The Marina Bay race ended with George Russell taking victory, ahead of Max Verstappen in second place and Lando Norris completing the podium after a strong recovery drive. Meanwhile, Ferrari endured a disastrous evening, finishing only sixth and eighth with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. According to Pirelli’s report, the current generation of F1 cars is largely responsible for the scarcity of overtakes witnessed in Singapore.

The race strategies featured all three available tyre compounds. Degradation levels were relatively low, allowing for greater use of the Soft compound compared to last year. The Medium and Hard tyres were used in roughly equal measure, both proving durable enough to last for most of the Grand Prix distance. This tire longevity, while positive in terms of performance stability, may have also contributed to fewer strategic variations — and therefore fewer overtaking opportunities on track.

The issue of overtaking

As explained in Pirelli’s official statement, Mario Isola, the company’s Motorsport Director, discussed how modern Formula 1 cars have directly influenced the lack of passing during the Singapore race. Throughout much of the Grand Prix, drivers struggled to find overtaking opportunities, a pattern that has been observed at several other circuits on the calendar as well.

“As far as the race is concerned, we’ve had yet another confirmation that the current generation of cars has reached such a high level of aerodynamic sophistication that overtaking has become extremely complicated, especially on a circuit like Singapore, which by its very nature doesn’t make the task any easier,” said Mario Isola.

He went on to emphasize how improved tire management by both teams and drivers has played a role in shaping race dynamics. “Teams and drivers have become increasingly skilled in managing the tyres, to the point where we saw stints of 50 laps on the Mediums and 38 laps on the Softs. To be honest, even if we had brought a theoretical C8 compound here, it wouldn’t have made much difference to how the race unfolded,” he explained.

Pirelli’s analysis suggests that Formula 1’s constant pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency, combined with increasingly sophisticated tire management, has created an environment where overtaking is rarer than ever. Circuits like Singapore, with their narrow layout and limited straights, only make this issue more visible. The result is a championship where strategy and qualifying position often outweigh raw racing action — a growing challenge for the sport as it looks toward future regulation changes.