2011 Rules Have Doubled Overtaking - Analysis

The 2011 regulations have more than doubled the prevalence of overtaking in Formula One.

New regulations improved overtaking

Photo by: xpb.cc

An analysis by Mercedes GP shows there have been 623 passing moves so far after nine of the scheduled 19 Grands Prix this year.

That is already more than the entire tally of 547 passes in 2010, according to the AFP news agency.

Mercedes' figures show that 225 of the overtakes so far in 2011 were 'normal', with 180 assisted by the new overtaking rear wing system 'DRS'.

That suggests that the heavily degrading Pirelli tyres are the bigger contributing factor to overtaking this year.

DRS was reportedly less influential than earlier this season at the most recent races at Valencia and Silverstone, with only 44 and 29 overtaking moves recorded at those rounds respectively.

And Ferrari's Pat Fry is also not expecting DRS to be overly influential this weekend at the Nurburgring.

"The DRS zone (in Germany) involves following someone closely through the high speed corner onto the back straight which will be a little bit of a challenge," he said.

Asked this week by F1's official website what further innovations Michael Schumacher would like to see in the sport, he answered: "Even more overtaking."