Verstappen tops overtaking chart in 2016, sets new record

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Max Verstappen completed the highest number of overtaking manoeuvres in one season since 1983, according to Pirelli's 2016 statistics.

The tyre manufacturer has produced a report of the latest F1 season in numbers, including the number of overtaking moves during the season by each driver. Verstappen - who drove for Toro Rosso in the first four races before moving to Red Bull - is credited with 78 manoeuvres over the year, which Pirelli says is the highest number since its records began in 1983.

Pirelli defines an overtaking manoeuvre as "one that takes place during complete flying laps (so not on the opening lap) and is then maintained all the way to the lap’s finish line. Position changes due to major mechanical problems or lapping/unlapping are not counted."

Verstappen's record is helped by the length of the F1 season, with 2016 the longest in the history of the sport as 21 races were held.

At the other end of the spectrum, Sebastian Vettel was the driver to be overtaken on the fewest occasions according to Pirelli, with the German only passed on track once all season. That came in the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Verstappen overtook the Ferrari for fifth position late in the race. The Pirelli definition of an overtake does not count Vettel's fight with Verstappen in Belgium, where the Ferrari passed the Red Bull out of Turn 1 only to lose the place again on the run to Les Combes.

Pirelli says there were 866 overtaking manoeuvres in 2016, also the highest number since its data was first available in 1983.

Red Bull completed the highest number of overtakes as a team with 136 - consisting of 61 from Daniel Ricciardo, 60 from Verstappen and 15 by Daniil Kvyat - while Mercedes was overtaken just seven times in total, Nico Rosberg on four occasions and Lewis Hamilton three.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.