It was an unguarded remark which summed up the thoughts of millions of viewers around the world, many of whom had got up at the crack of dawn to watch events unfold in Japan.
“That’s all the highlights? That’s all that happened in that race?” asked an incredulous Oscar Piastri as the top-three finishers were shown a replay of the in-race “action” from Sunday’s Japanese Grand Prix in the cool-down room.
Sadly, it really was. A grand prix on one of the most exciting race tracks in the world, in what is shaping up to be one of the tightest seasons in living memory – and yet it was almost completely devoid of drama.
There was certainly precious little in the way of overtaking. For only the fourth time in the sport’s history – and the first time ever on a permanent circuit – the top-six drivers finished in exactly the same order they started.
The only on-track change in the top 10, in fact, came when Lewis Hamilton passed Isack Hadjar for seventh in the opening laps. Thereafter it was, Hamilton admitted afterwards, “a pretty lonely race” for him.
The seven-time world champion was not alone in feeling like that. “It was a very boring race for me,” said Charles Leclerc. “Yeah, not the most exciting race,” agreed Lando Norris. “Suzuka has become a bit of a new Monaco,” was the verdict of Carlos Sainz. At least the Principality has super yachts and azure waters to take your mind off the lack of racing. What a let-down.
Of course, one man’s snoozefest is another man’s thriller. Suzuka is a pure drivers’ circuit, with its fast flowing corners. And there was undoubtedly a certain beauty in the way in which Max Verstappen won from pole, taming his uber-sensitive Red Bull, keeping the faster McLarens at bay, never putting a foot wrong. But let’s be honest. As a race it was pretty dull.
The concern is that while we have all the ingredients for a humdinger of a season – four teams in close proximity, the two drivers from the leading team taking points off each other, the most successful driver in the history of the sport trying to reinvent himself at the most famous team in the sport etc etc – this type of race could become the norm.
It is already trending that way. Across 2024 there were 70 fewer overtakes than in 2023, despite there being two extra races. And so far this season all three drivers who have qualified on pole position have gone on to win the respective grands prix. Four if you include the sprint race in China.
What has already become abundantly clear is that clean air is king. Which is somewhat frustrating when you consider the current regulations were specifically designed to remedy that issue. And even more so when you consider this set of rules came in at the end of one of the most exciting, overtaking-filled seasons in living memory: 2021.
With luck, the last two races will not be representative of the 21 to come. Bahrain next week will prove to be a desert classic and Saudi Arabia the week after a no-holds-barred street fight. Who can forget that mad race in Jeddah in 2021 which left Hamilton and Verstappen locked on points heading to the finale in Abu Dhabi?
The worry, though, is that Fred Vasseur is right. “Yes, it will probably be a quali championship,” the Ferrari team principal said on Sunday when asked whether what we saw in Japan would be a consistent theme this year. What a shame that would be. Of course there will always be tension if teams and drivers remain close. But this season’s ingredients are so good it would be a shame if they were served up in a series of bland dishes.
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