Jeremy Clarkson pitches solution for F1’s overtaking problem

Jeremy Clarkson has suggested how F1 can solve its overtaking problem following a tedious Japanese Grand Prix.

Sunday’s grand prix at Suzuka proved to be a 53-lap snooze fest as the drivers struggled to overtake due to the issue of dirty air affecting the car’s aerodynamic performance.

Concerns have been raised that this season could become a “qualifying world championship”, with all four races so far (including the China sprint) won by the driver starting on pole position.

While the Chinese Grand Prix was hardly a thriller, Japan was particularly processional, with just 15 overtakes completed and 11 of the 20 drivers finishing the race in the same position they started it.

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was the only driver inside the top 10 to gain a position.

Max Verstappen claimed his first victory of the season for Red Bull, having resisted race-long pressure from the chasing McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.

Plenty of fans were left disgruntled by the lack of action, including former Top Gear host and F1 paddock regular Clarkson.

Clarkson took to social media to share a simple fix - by urging F1 to avoid using tracks where overtaking is difficult.

“I’ve had an idea to make F1 racing more consistently exciting. Don’t use tracks where overtaking is difficult,” Clarkson wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“Sure. The cars are bigger so accept that, ignore the “incentives”, and use tracks that are suitable. Ultimately, the revenue comes from fans. Always.

“That F1 race this morning gave me an idea of what it might be like to watch cricket.”

Even F1 drivers were bored

It was not just fans left bored by the tepid grand prix, with Norris saying: "It was flat-out from start to finish but the pace was too similar to do anything.

“Max drove a good race with no mistakes, and it ultimately came down to qualifying positions.”

F1 rookie Gabriel Bortoleto commented: "It was not so difficult just a bit boring to stay behind [the car in front].

“Even if you have more pace, which was my case towards the end of the race, it was not enough to have that really big pace advantage.

"I tried two times [to overtake] but I wasn't able to be side by side at the end of the straight. A shame but we move on."

However, Fernando Alonso, who finished just outside of the points in 11th, pointed out that F1 drivers always find something to complain about.

"Maybe one stop was not maybe the fun race that we were hoping for, and in the past with multiple stops, maybe there's a tyre difference," he said.

“When we don't have grip we complain that there is no grip, and when we have too many stops we complain the tyres don't last, so instead of seeing the negative part of the weekend, I try to enjoy what we experienced this weekend, and it was another great Suzuka."