Imola and the 4 Most Challenging Formula 1 Tracks for Overtaking After the ‘Boring’ 2024 Monaco GP

• The 2024 Monaco Grand Prix was one of the most boring races of the enthralling Formula 1 season
• The Monte Carlo race currently holds the unwanted record for the race, with the least overtakes the sport has witnessed in recent times
• Sports Brief compiles a list of Formula 1 tracks with the worst overtaking chances following the event at the Monaco GP

For the first time in a long while, a Formula 1 race left fans dozing off in their seats, as what was anticipated to be a highly thrilling Monaco Grand Prix turned out to be one of the most boring races in recent memory.

The race in Monte Carlo saw only four on-track passes throughout its 78 laps, the lowest number of any race, including sprints, this season.

This is also the fewest overtakes recorded since the waterlogged, aquaplaning event at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix in Spa.

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Of the four passes, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll completed two of those passes: one on Kick Sauber's Zhou Guanyu on lap 55 and the other on Williams Racing's Logan Sargeant on the 56th lap.

This minimal on-track overtaking was the lowest figure at the Principality since 2018. Over the last 40 years, only seven races have seen fewer overtakes.

Additionally, the Grand Prix set a new negative record, becoming the first race in recent history with no positional changes among the top 10 starters, according to Sports Illustrated.

It's been widely suggested that the evolution and increased size of current Formula 1 cars may have contributed to the lack of wheel-to-wheel overtakes at the Circuit de Monaco.

In light of this, Sports Brief spotlights a list of Formula 1 circuits with the fewest overtaking opportunities on the 2024 calendar.

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Formula 1 circuits with the least overtaking chances

Circuit de Monaco (Monaco)

However iconic the race has been to the sport, its next-to-none chance of overtaking has made it one of the least favourite races among Formula 1 fans. The 2024 edition saw numerous complaints from drivers about the race's boring nature.

Several drivers and team principals have called for adjustments to the track layout. They argue that changes are necessary to maintain the excitement generated by the race and prevent its popularity from declining in the coming years.

Hungaroring (Hungary)

Tight, slow, and narrow, the Hungaroring has always posed a significant challenge for overtaking, despite undergoing two major revisions.

In 2003, the run to Turn One was extended, and the opening corner was tightened to facilitate overtaking. Additionally, Turn 12 was reconfigured into a 90-degree right-hander, aimed at giving drivers a longer run to the corner to aid in overtaking. However, the overall effect was minimal, and it remains highly difficult to overtake at this iconic race track.

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In contrast to Monaco, the Hungaroring has still managed to treat fans to a flurry of wheel-to-wheel racing action.

Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari (Imola)

The Imola circuit is another iconic track where overtaking is notoriously difficult. The Emilia Romagna Grand Prix is often won from the front row, and the 2024 edition was no exception, with Max Verstappen clinching victory from pole position.

Despite 15 major changes in the lead-up to the race, as reported by Everything F1, these adjustments did little to enhance overtaking opportunities on this widely regarded old-school circuit.

Albert Park Circuit (Australia)

With four DRS zones and a speed trap, one might expect the Melbourne race to treat fans to a flurry of overtakes. However, the race at Albert Park often delivers chaos instead of the wheel-to-wheel action fans desire.

The 2023 edition of the race saw just 12 cars finish out of the 20 that started, and the 2024 edition wasn’t any less chaotic, as Williams Racing had to enter the race with just one car following unrepairable damage to the chassis of Alex Albon’s car.

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Formula 1 teams with the most pole positions

Sports Brief in another report detailed a list of Formula 1 teams with the most pole positions in the history of the sport.

The list featured Ferrari following the stellar drive from Charles Leclerc at the Monaco Grand Prix.