What is actually allowed in direct duel in Formula 1? And do the drivers in the race even have an eye on how exactly they have to behave? In any case, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner misses the ease with which the past has been overtaken.
Horner said after the Miami Grand Prix 2025: “For me, it no longer feels like natural racing. It looks as if we are now over-regulated in duel because the drivers have to stick to given lines.”
These statements are amazing because the duel rules of Formula 1 were repeatedly tightened by Red Bull driver Max Verstappen due to the extremely aggressive driving style. That means: Horner’s top driver is at least partially responsible for the fact that the rules are today as they are – “simply unnatural” according to Horner.
What the longest-serving Formula 1 team boss means that overtaking on the outer lane has become practically impossible in the modern “premier class” because the defender can simply “starve” the attacker or push it off the route.
Therefore, Horner is thinking about a rule reform: “Maybe we need a little restart here. It would be good if the drivers discussed this at the next race. Because if there are too many rules, everyone only works according to the regulations – and it somehow artificial.”
The race tracks are part of the problem
The now increasingly installed exposure zones made of asphalt also contribute to the duel problem of Formula 1: A defender is “wide” as possible in an attack because he knows that the attacker can save himself into the “emergency exit”. And the attacker must also count on a punishment if he overtaken the defender outside the route.
The question of who was at the front of a curve also regularly causes discussions, because this driver – at least in theory – “belongs” and the other driver should give up the position. In practice, however, this always turns out to be not so easy – much to the annoyance of involved and fans.
And again and again you interfere with Red Bull drivers. Lando Norris, for example, said after the Miami Grand Prix: “You have the choice between an accident and not to overtake.”
Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piatri, in turn, sees it more relaxed: With Verstappen, “you know that it will be hard,” explains the current World Cup leader. Therefore, it is a “question of the right time” to overtake Verstappen “as efficiently and cleanly as possible”.