Increased number of overtakes at Suzuka is a step forward for F1, says Ferrari’s Vasseur

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur believes the increase in overtaking at the Japanese Grand Prix compared to previous years at Suzuka was “good for everybody” in Formula 1.

The 2025 edition of the race featured just 15 overtakes after the opening lap, whereas this year saw that number exceeded in the first 16 laps of the race prior to the first pit stops taking place. While a number of drivers remain unhappy about the style of racing and the influence of the energy recovery system and battery deployment, Vasseur believes Japan was a positive race for F1, on top of Ferrari’s podium for Charles Leclerc.

“Firstly, I think overall it's good for F1, good for the championship, good for everybody, because it was, I think, a good show, with a lot of overtaking – much more than in the past in Suzuka – and I think this is good in general,” Vasseur said.

“The second point is that for us, it's the third podium in a row. We want to get more, but I think it was a very, very strong drive from Charles at the end with [George] Russell. It was important for us to keep Mercedes behind and Russell behind us. The last 10 laps, it showed also to everybody at the factory and to the team that we can do it.

“It means that it's important and it's the best way to prepare the break. We know that we have to push, we know that we have to work and to develop the car, but it's a long break.”

Vasseur praised the way Leclerc fought with Russell during Sunday's race, swapping positions late on to retain third spot, while teammate Lewis Hamilton faded from third after the safety car to finish sixth.

“It was a good fight overall and [Leclerc] was very clever sometimes to let Russell in front in the last chicane to be able to overtake into Turn 1. He managed this very well with the overtake mode on Russell. We can be happy and he can be proud of what he did. It was a very, very strong drive.

“What is clear this season is that as soon as you are not within overtake mode anymore, you are losing a little bit the pace and you have this situation of having a train on track. When [Hamilton] lost the one-second gap on the car ahead, it was a bit more difficult. We know that we have a deficit of performance in the straight line and that we have to work on it, but it is like it is.”

Entering the unexpected gap in races ahead of the Miami Grand Prix in May, Vasseur says all teams will be working on weaknesses that they’ve identified and it will be a case of trying to out-develop each other.

“We have a lot of work like everybody into the paddock. It is the beginning of the homologation of the car. It means that we have tonnes of things to improve," he said. "Now we have good data after three races to understand the competitiveness of the car, where we are OK-ish and where we are not.

“It means that performance is coming from everywhere, but we have to do a step in every single area of the performance. It is true for us, but I am sure it will be true for everybody on the grid. It means that it is more a matter of doing a better job than the others and to do a step.”