Less overtaking? Whiting points the finger at mid-field teams

©WRI2

FIA race director Charlie Whiting says the biggest factor impacting overtaking in F1 isn't the cars but the competitiveness of the mid-field teams.

The 2017 season saw half the number of overtaking moves following the introduction of faster and wider cars.

At the outset in Melbourne last year, drivers unanimously declared that the new-spec machines would challenge the art of overtaking, which they effectively did.

"The wider cars look great and they've given us more grip, but when they take up more space on the track you have less clean air so it does make following harder," recently said pass master Daniel Ricciardo.

Gallery: How did the drivers spend their holiday?

But Whiting disagrees with the Aussie's assessment, and underlines instead the persistent performance gap which exists between F1's mid-field teams and the front-runners.

"I don't think closer racing is the issue, and I don't think the cars are the problem," he told the New York Times.

"The biggest problem we've had this year is that it's clear the big three teams - if you want to call them that - in Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull are significantly quicker than the rest.

"I don't think the racing has been bad, it's just that some have done a significantly better job than others, which is nothing new in formula one," Whiting added.

Gallery: The beautiful wives and girlfriends of F1 drivers

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter

Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.