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Ferrari Team Principal Frederic Vasseur thinks that the present Formula 1 campaign could turn into a "championship focused solely on pole positions," as passing has become quite rare in the last couple of races.
Although the 2025 campaign kicked off with a hectic Australian Grand Prix, unpredictable weather conditions were instrumental in guaranteeing ample excitement on the track.
However, the scenario has been quite distinct at both the Chinese Grand Prix and this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, with minimal passing observed during these events.
During this last year under the present set of regulations, we've seen both a unification in vehicle design across teams as well as an array of strategies developed to circumvent rules initially implemented with the aim of increasing passing opportunities.
Throughout 2024, there were 70 fewer overtakes compared to the previous year, even with an additional two races added to the calendar. As of now in 2025, every driver who started from pole position has secured victory in their corresponding grand prix events.
As demonstrated specifically through the successes of pole sitters Oscar Piastri in Shanghai and Max Verstappen at Suzuka Currently, clean air is paramount. In Suzuka, the top six qualifiers maintained their positions throughout the race.
“Qualifying is undoubtedly always vital for performance,” he stated. Ferrari Team Principal Vasseur said, "When the distance between vehicles narrows, this becomes even truer... as you become part of the pack of cars."
It’s more than just competing against the person directly in front of you. Indeed, this seems likely to shape up as a 'qualifying' championship.
McLaren It has been broadly recognized as the top contender to watch this year, but Lando Norris was unable to find a path around Verstappen, while his teammate Piastri remained stuck in third place.
Both of them simultaneously pointed to it. Verstappen's remarkable pole position lap determining the outcome of the race for 53 consecutive laps, they were unable to devise a strategy to get around the Dutchman.
Max Verstappen, leading for Red Bull Racing, takes the lead from the starting line.
Photo by: Bryn Lennon - F1
It was consistent throughout, but the speed was too close for us to make any moves," stated Norris, who continues to lead the championship despite finishing second. "Max had a clean race without errors, and in the end, it all boiled down to our qualifying positions.
Piastri commented, "We had several opportunities to overtake, but maintaining track position proved crucial. In my view, yesterday was the pivotal day when the race was essentially decided."
In the meantime, Ferrari has faced a challenging beginning to the season, with their only win coming in the sprint race held in Shanghai. Lewis Hamilton apart, and is now clearly the fourth-quickest team on the grid following McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes .
Although securing double podium finishes in Japan proved superior for both Hamilton and him. Charles Leclerc After being disqualified in China, Vasseur admitted that Ferrari needs "Improvements across the board."
"Following today’s outcome, we must strive to improve our performance next week and maximize the car’s potential and handling," he stated.
We need improvements across the board. At minimum, we've taken a step ahead since last week, particularly in terms of operations, and we must build upon this progress.
It certainly isn’t how we would have hoped to begin the season. However, there’s still quite a way to go… with 21 races remaining.
