Steiner: Overtaking issue in F1 'needs to come up on the table'

Haas team principal Guenther Steiner says Formula 1 must put the controversial subject of overtaking on its agenda considering the difficulties encountered by drivers this season.

A consensus has emerged in the wake of last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a race labeled as "boring" by Mercedes boss Toto Wolff for its lack of overtaking among competitors up and down the field.

The FIA opted to shorten Baku's main DRS zone which evidently hindered the field's ability to overtake.

But it has also been suggested that as F1 teams develop their car's away from the sport's new ground effect regulations - which were purposefully devised to allow cars to follow each other more closely and to improve the spectacle on the track - downforce levels are once again on the rise, while current designs also create a smaller slipstream effect compared to last year when F1's new rule were introduced.

Steiner remembers that Haas was among the first teams earlier this season to draw attention to the changes and how following another car had become harder once again.

"I think we were some of the first to say something," said Steiner.

"Because our drivers complained quite a bit saying that it is worse than the '22 car, and we were told it's mainly our car.

"But I think everybody's now jumping on the bandwagon and says it is more difficult.

• Read also: Red Bull drivers say F1 downforce levels making overtaking 'harder'

"In the beginning, we were standing there alone when we mentioned it, and they actually said there's only one or two teams which have more difficulty, maybe they've developed the wrong direction.

"I think it's in general, with this change of regulation last year, it didn't get any better. And then the other thing is to also be shortening the DRS zone. I tried to find out why we are doing that.

"And I still haven't found an answer, to be honest. I don't know why it was decided, because I don't think it's dangerous, that's it's my personal opinion.

"If somebody explains why it's dangerous, I am prepared to listen, but I never got an answer on anything like this."

Steiner says it's time for Formula 1 to have a closer look at the reasons "why overtaking is more difficult" and certainly not sweep the problem under the carpet.

"Maybe it has to do with the change of the floor from last year to this year," he suggested.

"Maybe it has to do only because everybody has more downforce now that makes it always worse to follow. It could be a combination.

"What we need to be careful that we're not turning the regulations around again in August for next year, because that then is quite annoying because you put a lot of money and development into a car and then oh, now we need to change or we change now or we don't change.

"Or not now, in the near future. Obviously, it needs to come up on the table and needs to be talked about, not try to push it away, as if nothing happened."

Steiner reckons that the teams' quest for downforce will keep the overtaking issue in the spotlight.

"I think we know that from history, you always develop and always when you try to find more downforce, it always damages the people which run behind," he said.

"They [aerodynamicists] are doing their job to make the cars faster, which is putting more downforce on.

"They are not worrying about if you cannot follow, because if you are slow, because you have got a good wake, and you cannot follow anybody, you are not overtaking anyway."

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