The Japanese Grand Prix saw Max Verstappen take the win after an uneventful race, except Norris’s incident at the pit exit. Most of the grid remained in the same position throughout the race, even after the pit stops.
There was a lack of overtaking during the race, which led to many fans calling it an uneventful race. So, let’s go into why there were close to no overtakes at the Japanese Grand Prix.
Dirty air and lack of DRS zones cause a lack of wheel-to-wheel racing
Suzuka is notorious for making overtaking difficult. There are several reasons why drivers couldn’t overtake safely on the track. The main factor is dirty air. Due to Suzuka being thinner, the cars have to face a lot of dirty air, which results in a lack of downforce. The turns did not allow drivers to utilize the slipstream either.
Most of the corners don’t allow two cars to pass through, hence the drivers were forced to stay behind the other. The final chicane of the track is also responsible for the lack of fighting. The cars get much slower under dirty air while attacking the last chicane of the track.
The chicane also leads into the sole DRS zone of the track. Lack of momentum from the chicane exit results in an underutilization of the DRS, resulting in tougher overtakes.
| Max Verstappen on the pressure of McLaren and the pit lane incident:
“It’s great—though very different circumstances compared to the last few years here. Today, the key was starting from pole. The McLarens were trying to get into my DRS, but it’s very hard to follow around… pic.twitter.com/GCspB6IWMe
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 6, 2025
Max Verstappen, the race winner, had perfect exits on the hairpin and the chicane in clean air, which led him to maintain the gap between him and the McLarens. He talked about why the McLarens failed to use the DRS to their advantage.
“The McLarens were trying to get into my DRS, but it’s very hard to follow around this circuit. I think the track temperature really helped us too—less tyre overheating with the cooler conditions. I’m incredibly happy with the result,” said Verstappen.
While it was easier to maintain the tyre health due to lower track temperatures, a lack of DRS utilization and slipstream made Japan an uneventful race.
What can the FIA do to improve racing at Suzuka?
Suzuka is one of the best circuits on the calendar, according to many fans and drivers. However, it might lose its popularity if there is a continued lack of wheel-to-wheel racing. But this is also in part due to the current era of cars.
The cars almost take up half the track width each, which makes it difficult for two cars to go wheel-to-wheel at the track. One of the drivers has to back off, lest they crash. Currently, the overtaking opportunities are available at only the turns, but the cars can easily go off due to their size.
| Race classification for the Japanese Grand Prix:
A close, race-long battle between the top 3, records broken and rookie points scorers!#F1 #JapaneseGP pic.twitter.com/uEojxdiUFC
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) April 6, 2025
The new regulations may bring back the competition to Suzuka. New cars will be smaller than the current generation, almost reminiscent of the 2005 era cars. Smaller cars mean drivers have to worry less about causing a crash. In addition to this, the current era of cars are more aerodynamically sensitive, making them more vulnerable to dirty air.
Track-based improvements can include the conversion of the final chicane into a right-hander that leads into the DRS zone, which can result in higher speeds, giving a better opportunity to overtake under DRS. The iconic hairpin can also have its radius increased so that drivers do not lose momentum coming into it.
However, both these adjustments also have some concerns, such as safety. The section leading to the final chicane is already very tricky with the 130R curve. The chicane allows the drivers to slow down and then accelerate once again for the pit straight. Converting this into a single corner could increase the risk factor on the track. The same goes to the hairpin turn on the circuit.
While the Japanese Grand Prix may have been uneventful for some, the next weekend may bring the excitement up to max again. The next race is the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sakhir. The Bahrain International Circuit is well known for its 3 DRS Zones paired with wider roads, allowing for a lot of fighting opportunities between the drivers.
