Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB19
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The factors behind F1’s overtaking problem and why solving it won’t be easy

Drivers and fans are complaining that overtaking has got harder this season says GP RACING. Why, when Formula 1’s 10 teams have gone to so much effort and expense conforming to new rules which were designed to create more overtaking opportunities? And why should overtaking be easy anyway?

Formula 1 has a problem. A year and a half ago, it introduced new rules which were aimed at closing up the field and making the racing more exciting, by enabling cars to follow each other more closely and overtake more easily.

The lifespan of those new rules has been 30 races, of which 25 – 83% – have been won by Red Bull. Max Verstappen set a new record for wins in a season on his way to his second world title in 2022, and is well on the way to challenging that this year, when Red Bull’s closest opposition is significantly further away than it was last season.

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