Concerns have been raised that the F1 2025 world champion🧔shi༒p could be dictated by qualifying after a lack of overtaking in the Japanese Grand Prix.

Just 15 overtakes were completed during Sunday’s processional 53-lap race, with 11 of the 20 drivers finishing in the same position they started. Ferrari’s 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lewis Hamilton was the only driver to gain a position in the top 10, passing168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Isack Hadjar on Lap 6.

Red Bull’s168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Max Verstappen resisted race-long pressure from the faster McLarens to𝓰 claim his first victory of the season. Out of the four races to have been held so far (including the China sprint), all four drivers to have started on pole position have gone on to win.

The dull race at Suzuka left Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur suggesting that this year’s world championship could be decided by qualifying resul𒈔ts on Saturday.

“For sure, qualifying is always crucial in the performance,” Vasseur said. “The smaller the gap isღ between cars, the more true that is... because you are in the grou༺p of cars.

“It's no༺t that you are just one figh🅷ting with the guy in front of you. Yes, it will probably be a 'quali' championship.”

McLaren counterpart Andrea Stella said F1’s currentౠ regulations do not help drivers follow and overtake their rivals.

"Ultimately, we keep adding aerodynam𒐪ic downforce [to the cars], which means that the losses are even bigger [behind a r𓆏ival], so I think the dirty air is a problem," Stella explained.

"We have seen this even in China in terms of Hamilton, when he was in the lead of the sprint he could do pretty much whatever he wanteꦆd, even if the tyre had damaged. So the lead is a significant facꦑtor.

"Even if this generation of car was conceived to actually improve following, that was what we were talking about in 2022, there's been so much aerodynamic development n🍌ow that again they have become so much of an aerodynamic maღchine that as soon as you follow you lose the performance."

‘Bored’ F1 drivers lament dirty air struggles

Several♛ drivers complained about how hard it was to overtake and said the꧟y were “bored” during Sunday’s grand prix.

“It was flat-out from start to finish but the pace was too similar to do anything,” 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lando Norris said.

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

McLaren teammate 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Oscar Piastri added: “We got close for the overtake a few times, but track position around here is just so important. I think yesterday [Saturday qualifying] waꦿs the day where you effectively won th♏e race.”

New Williams driver 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Carlos Sainz even went as far as to liken Suzuka to Monaco.

"The midfield is so tight and around a track where you need to be 0.7 to 0.8 seconds quicker to pass it was imposꦦsible to expect a race where you could come back through the field,” he said.

"This a track that has, in a way, becom🎃e similar to Monaco in how difficult it is to pass.”

Alpine’s168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Pierre Gasly commented: "It just seemed very tricky to gꦉet close. As soon as you get within 0.6 or 0.7 seconds it was really tough to close down that last gap - it's extremely difficult.

"Then you ar𒈔e not doing much [tyre] management, so when all the cars are very similar in performance it's very difficult to make that pass. That's what it is."

Meanwhile, Sauber’s Nico168澳洲5最新开奖结果: Hulkenberg summed up his 53♓-lap run in 16th 🎃place as “long” and “dull”.

“Not much happening,” the German added. “I spent a lot of the race in traffic and ℱit's not much fun looking at someone's rear wing in the DRS. It's so difficult with these cars ♐in the dirty air.”