Aston Martin: No data supporting F1 overtaking claims

Aston Martin Technical Director Dan Fallows says he has seen no data to support the claims that overtaking is more difficult in the 2023 Formula 1 season.

Drivers have been vocal in their opinion that it is harder to follow and overtake other cars in 2023, with shorter DRS zones also making overtaking a greater challenge.

However, Fallows, whose Aston team are currently second in the Constructors' standings heading into the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, says no data has been provided to back up the harder overtaking theory.

Is overtaking harder?

"I've heard the conversations going on, but I haven't seen any data so far that sort of says that it's harder to to overtake," Fallows told media including RacingNews365.

"The drivers have their own opinions, and I think we've seen people running the cars in slightly different specifications from each other, which does clearly make a difference.

"We are a few races in now, but it might even be a bit early to tell that as well.

"There have been conversations about Baku, but I think we've seen in previous races, there's been opportunities for overtaking.

"There are definitely circuit dependent characteristics, so Monaco is an extreme example, but we know that there are circuits where we have to the maximum amount out of the car in Qualifying because there is a limited opportunity to overtake in the race.

"That is going to carry on for all the circuits this year, there'll always be some which are easier to overtake and some which aren't."