The 2024 Japanese GP had 48 Overtakes. 36 of these were shown in the live broadcast. Last year’s race had 29 overtakes and the shortened 2022 event had 28 overtakes. This years total is more in line with the 2018 and 2019 totals which were 60 and 58 respectively. The circuit average at Suzuka in the hybrid era is 39.

2024 Japanese GP Overtakes

• Lap 5 Russell overtook Tsunoda for P 9
• Lap 5 Bottas overtook Ocon for P 11
• Lap 6 Stroll overtook Ocon for P 12
• Lap 8 Magnussen overtook Gasly for P 12
• Lap 11 Sargeant overtook Gasly for P 13
• Lap 13 Magnussen overtook Ocon for P 9
• Lap 13 Piastri overtook Sargeant for P 11
• Lap 13 Bottas overtook Gasly for P 13
• Lap 13 Tsunoda overtook Gasly for P 14
• Lap 14 Piastri overtook Magnussen for P 9
• Lap 14 Piastri overtook Ocon for P 10
• Lap 14 Hulkenberg overtook Gasly for P 15
• Lap 14 Stroll overtook Gasly for P 16
• Lap 15 Sargeant overtook Ocon for P 11
• Lap 15 Stroll overtook Hulkenberg for P 15
• Lap 16 Bottas overtook Ocon for P 12
• Lap 17 Verstappen overtook Russell for P 2
• Lap 17 Norris overtook Hamilton for P 4
• Lap 17 Perez overtook Hamilton for P 5
• Lap 17 Tsunoda overtook Ocon for P 13
• Lap 17 Stroll overtook Ocon for P 14
• Lap 18 Norris overtook Russell for P 3
• Lap 18 Perez overtook Russell for P 4
• Lap 18 Bottas overtook Sargeant for P 11
• Lap 18 Hulkenberg overtook Ocon for P 15
• Lap 19 Sainz overtook Hamilton for P 6
• Lap 21 Verstappen overtook Leclerc for P 1
• Lap 21 Sainz overtook Russell for P 5
• Lap 22 Perez overtook Norris for P 3
• Lap 22 Alonso overtook Hamilton for P 7
• Lap 23 Stroll overtook Ocon for P 12
• Lap 24 Magnussen overtook Ocon for P 13
• Lap 25 Bottas overtook Ocon for P 14
• Lap 27 Sargeant overtook Ocon for P 15
• Lap 28 Norris overtook Russell for P 7
• Lap 33 Tsunoda overtook Hulkenberg for P 10
• Lap 33 Stroll overtook Hulkenberg for P 11
• Lap 35 Perez overtook Norris for P 4
• Lap 36 Perez overtook Leclerc for P 3
• Lap 38 Sainz overtook Hamilton for P 5
• Lap 44 Sainz overtook Norris for P 4
• Lap 45 Stroll overtook Bottas for P 12
• Lap 46 Sainz overtook Leclerc for P 3
• Lap 46 Stroll overtook Magnussen for P 11
• Lap 46 Hulkenberg overtook Bottas for P 13
• Lap 48 Hulkenberg overtook Magnussen for P 12
• Lap 52 Hulkenberg overtook Stroll for P 11
• Lap 53 Russell overtook Piastri for P 7

Some Stats

• Stroll did the most overtakes this race with 8.
• Ocon was the most overtaken driver this race with 13.
• Perez and Stroll have done the most overtakes this season both with 13. Followed by Piastri with 10. Full totals can be seen here.
• Ocon is the most overtaken driver this season with 20. Followed by Gasly with 16. Full totals can be seen here.
• Gasly is the only driver yet to overtake anyone this season.
• Perez is the only driver yet to be overtaken this season.

Quick Analysis

A fairly typical Verstappen win that we’re all a bit too familiar with but with some good racing behind him. Tyre degradation was reasonably high this race which helped create a large number of overtaking situations. It was nice to see both 1 and 2 stop strategies being attempted throughout the grid even if Leclerc was the only to really be successful with the 1 stop. DRS being a touch too powerful on the main straight seemed to put drivers off from making moves into the chicane which has been a regular overtaking opportunity in the past. I think a slightly shorter zone on the main straight and an additional zone between the hairpin and spoon corner would be a good idea. A DRS zone into 130r would be ideal but obviously can’t happen for safety reasons. The TV director did a much better job this weekend capturing 36 of the 48 overtakes, my only misgiving is that it would of been nice to show Verstappens overtake on Russell round the outside of T6.

Numbers for the Season so far

• Bahrain – 36
• Saudi Arabia – 25
• Australia – 24
• Japan – 48

Rules

Only on track passes for position count (Positions gained due to cars pitting/ off track or spun/ major reliability issues do not count)

Likewise lapping and unlapping do not count as overtakes

Overtakes on Lap 1 do not count (See FAQ’s section for a detailed explanation)

Remember Overtaking data is just interesting data. It largely tells you how easy overtaking is in a given race not how entertaining the race is. Generally races with more overtaking are more entertaining but this is definitely not a rule. Baku 2016 had 80 overtakes and was a very dull race, Japan 2005 had 15 overtakes and was one of the best races ever.

Please see the rules and FAQ’s sections for more info on how this data is put together.

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