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[Fred_C_Dobbs]

Sir Jackie Stewart: want more overtaking in F1? Make circuits punish drivers for their mistakes

"...My belief is that the major reason for the lack of overtaking in modern grand prix racing is down to the modern tracks, nearly all of which have been designed by the same man, the German architect Hermann Tilke...."

[vaptin]

Yes, there is a clear difference between the older and newer tracks in terms of overtaking opportunities, fortunately the FIA have started mandating that new tracks must provide overtaking.

The tyres might help "punish" the drivers more.

[Jamie]

I think that is true, @ most circuits you go off and you can get back on? VB's new rule...SINKING SAND

[f1ea]

I don't think the big problem is necessarily Tilke's tracks. I think the problem is that most tracks are his.

[myownalias]

I don't believe that it's necessarily the Tilke tracks, I believe less Aero and less powerful brakes to increase the braking distance; which rewards the last of the late brakers is the answer.

[sgh]

I don't think the big problem is necessarily Tilke's tracks. I think the problem is that most tracks are his.

I tend to agree with this. I don't have any inherent issue with Tilke's tracks*, but I don't understand why so many are designed by him. I hate the use of 'diversity' as a buzzword coverall that really means nothing, but this is a case where it truly describes what F1 circuits lack these days.

*As Sir Jackie pointed out, the runoff areas on tracks these days are way too friendly. A lot of Tilke's tracks have a decent layout, but could be improved by replacing a lot of asphalt with sand or grass.

A return to an old skool kerb here and there would be welcomed as well. It would also reduce the stress on the stewards. Go ahead and cut the corner, but you will break your car!

[vlad]

I think they should hire more inovative people...

[Jensonb]

As has been said, I think the real issue is that he's designing almost all the new tracks, not his designs themselves. I like Bahrain, and Malaysia, and for some reason other people seem to be convinced that Turkey is decent. However, on top of those we have Abu Dhabi, Shanghai, Singapore...It's an overload.

[vlad]

Turkey is a great track, but no man should design every track!

[bud]

gravel traps over run offs.

[Frontrunner]

gravel traps over run offs.

Drivers going wide or making mistakes are going unpunished and sometimes not losing positions on these tilkedromes are and issue
for me and these smooth tarmac run offs are creeping there way into the classics f1 circuits aswell.

[nish2280]

I disagree with him.

If there is a risk that you will not finish the race why would you bother overtaking? No one is going to think: "Hmm, i can either gain 2 more points or none...I'll go for the 2 extra!". And if this was the case we would see PLENTY of overtaking because drivers wouldnt care if they messed up.

What he says applies for the situation in Abu Dhabi in the sense that with a gravel trap Alonso would have beached the car and Webber would have gone through...Is that really the overtaking that we find exciting? When one car stops resulting in a pass?

If anything we look for the exact opposite, two drivers fighting their hearts out to get in front, no one is going to be willing to do that with the risk of earning their team 0 points when they can easily settle with 18 rather than 25. Big run-offs allowed Webber to get back into the race when Vettel crashed into him, big run offs allowed Vettel to get back on track when Vettel crashed into Button.

Making the run offs smaller is like assuring someone injury just before they go in for a slide tackle in football, do you really want to break your leg in order to stop a team from scoring?

[Robert12010]

i think the new circuits are just big open spaces and they have no history, passion, and they are in stupid locations too!, think of the great circuits....silverstone, spa, monza, monaco, suzuka, none of these new circuits are any good! bar turkey

[myownalias]

If there is a risk that you will not finish the race why would you bother overtaking? No one is going to think: "Hmm, i can either gain 2 more points or none...I'll go for the 2 extra!". And if this was the case we would see PLENTY of overtaking because drivers wouldnt care if they messed up.

What he says applies for the situation in Abu Dhabi in the sense that with a gravel trap Alonso would have beached the car and Webber would have gone through...Is that really the overtaking that we find exciting? When one car stops resulting in a pass?

If anything we look for the exact opposite, two drivers fighting their hearts out to get in front, no one is going to be willing to do that with the risk of earning their team 0 points when they can easily settle with 18 rather than 25. Big run-offs allowed Webber to get back into the race when Vettel crashed into him, big run offs allowed Vettel to get back on track when Vettel crashed into Button.

Making the run offs smaller is like assuring someone injury just before they go in for a slide tackle in football, do you really want to break your leg in order to stop a team from scoring?

If a driver has that mentality then they have no right to call themselves a racing driver in my opinion.

As someone that has watched F1 for coming upto 20 years now; I found it much more exciting knowing that any given driver could be out of the race because of a mistake or outbraking themselves into a corner attempting an overtake, these drivers are the highest paid drivers on Earth, I say make them earn their crust; tarmaced run-off areas encourage complacency in my opinion!

[f1ea]

If there is a risk that you will not finish the race why would you bother overtaking? No one is going to think: "Hmm, i can either gain 2 more points or none...I'll go for the 2 extra!". And if this was the case we would see PLENTY of overtaking because drivers wouldnt care if they messed up.

In what ways do the safer runoffs or tarmac hurt overtaking? i dont get it.
There is already a lack of ot attempts, if the risk was hitting a kerb or a gavel trap and ruining your race, there would bbe even less overtaking attempts.