At a glance
A position change in a timing table is not automatically an on-track overtake. At the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Lando Norris started 15th and finished fourth, but the official result alone cannot separate passes from pit cycles, retirements or other changes. Circuit features such as Baku’s long straight and DRS zone create opportunities; they do not guarantee a pass.
- Baku 2024 winner51 lapsOscar Piastri · official classification
- Norris startP15F1 qualifying report
- Norris finishP4FIA final classification
- Net positions+11finish vs starting position; not pass count
Define the event before counting it
“Overtake” is often used casually for any change in running order. But a driver can gain places when rivals pit, retire, receive a penalty or start from the pit lane. A cleaner on-track count would need a stated rule for what qualifies as a pass, how to handle lap-down cars, Safety Car periods, pit exits and position swaps, and whether first-lap moves count. FIA classifications establish final positions, not a full list of on-track passes.
Norris illustrates the difference. He qualified 17th for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, then started 15th after grid penalties ahead of him. He finished fourth. Subtracting finish position from starting position gives a net gain of 11 places, but that arithmetic is not eleven documented overtakes. The race was 51 laps; a net position measure collapses a whole event into two snapshots and cannot explain when or how those positions changed.
Features identify opportunities, not outcomes
Baku’s FIA circuit map shows a 6.003 km street circuit, a long main straight, DRS detection and activation points, and multiple sectors. Formula 1’s circuit guide describes cars braking from around 350 km/h into the 90-degree Turn 1, and notes that the end of the main straight is a prominent viewing point for overtaking. These sources establish the physical and regulatory context, not the number of successful passes.
Monza presents a different geometry. Its 5.793 km layout pairs long straights with heavy braking zones into chicanes. F1’s 2024 preview recorded 49 overtakes at the 2023 Italian Grand Prix. That is a dated event statistic from Formula 1, but it should not be compared casually with a Baku total unless the counting definition is consistent and both event totals come from the same method. Circuit layout affects where a pass might be attempted; tyres, car performance, traffic, race position, weather and strategy all influence whether it succeeds.
Why DRS-zone counts are not an overtaking score
A DRS zone marks a place where eligible drivers may use the system under the applicable rules. It is not an automatic passing lane. A zone’s effect depends on the following straight and braking point, the gap to the car ahead, relative speed, tyre condition, aerodynamic configuration and whether the car can stay close beforehand. The FIA can alter DRS detection or activation points; a map records where the system is available on that event layout, not how many passes it causes.
Use several measures for distinct questions: starting-to-finishing-position change describes net race movement; an explicit video- or timing-based pass dataset can describe overtaking events; and circuit maps explain where passing opportunities are concentrated. Do not substitute one for another. For more circuit context, see our Circuits hub, Monza, and Baku. Our lap-record guide also shows why event conditions and session definitions matter when comparing numbers.
Sources and method
FIA 2024 Azerbaijan final classification: official race classification (51 laps, Piastri first, Norris fourth). Starting position and penalties are detailed in F1’s Azerbaijan race report, the F1 2024 Azerbaijan race results, and the FIA 2024 Azerbaijan circuit map: official event map (6.003 km). Baku circuit description also appears on the F1 2024 Azerbaijan event page. Monza comparison point: F1’s 2024 Italian GP preview reports 49 overtakes in 2023. “Net positions” is starting position minus finishing position for Norris (+11); it is not an overtaking count. The cited 49 is not graphed because a matching, transparent Baku counting method was not found.