F1 pit stop strategy breakdown: The undercut and overcut explained

Learn how the undercut and overcut strategies work in Formula 1 and how they can make or break a race for drivers and teams.

Strategies in F1 play a vital role in determining the outcome of a race, and pit stops are a key battleground. Teams constantly analyse tyre wear, track conditions, and rival tactics to decide when and how to bring their drivers in for fresh rubber.

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And for those unfamiliar, pit stops involve bringing the car into the pits for new tyres and other necessary adjustments. Fresh tyres offer better grip, allowing drivers to push harder and achieve faster lap times. But pit stops take time, and the strategic battle lies in figuring out when to pit and which tactic - undercut or overcut - to employ.

Now, get ready to dive into the world of F1 pit stop strategies.

Undercut in F1

Let's start with the most common tactic - the undercut. This is an aggressive strategy when a driver pits before their rivals in front to gain an advantage over them. The team meticulously analyse factors like tyre wear on the leading car and make calculations before making the call.

So, how does it work? Well, imagine two cars, 'Driver A' and 'Driver B', battling it out for P1. Driver A decides to pit first, sacrificing precious track time for a brand-new set of tyres. While they lose some time during the pitstop, they emerge with significantly faster rubber. Driver B, on the other hand, is out on track on older, worn tyres.

Here's what happens next. Driver A's out-lap (the first lap after emerging from the pitlane) on fresh tyres will be considerably quicker than Driver B's in-lap on worn tyres. This allows Driver A to reduce the time gap and propel them ahead of Driver B by the time the latter exits the pit after completing the pit stop.

This tactic is used on high-degradation circuits and circuits where overtaking is hard. One good example is the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, when Sebastian Vettel perfectly executed an undercut from P3.

Ferrari pitted Vettel early for fresh tyres. The new rubber allowed the German to set a good out-lap time, significantly faster than the slower in-laps of Leclerc and Hamilton on older tyres. By the time Leclerc emerged from the pits, Vettel had snatched the lead, ultimately securing his last win in his F1 career.

Of course, the undercut isn't a guaranteed path to glory for the trailing driver. A slow pitstop, getting stuck in traffic during the pitlane window, or an unexpected safety car can all ruin the undercut strategy, as well as if the driver fails to set faster lap times and make up for the time lost during the pit stop.

Also, if the leader (Driver B) noticed the undercut attempt, they could counter by pitting earlier than expected or pushing harder to extend their lead and stay out of the undercut window altogether.

However, a flawlessly executed undercut, with perfect timing and a clean pit stop, can turn a chasing driver into a race leader in a matter of laps.

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Overcut in F1

An overcut strategy takes the opposite approach. Here, Driver A stays out on track for longer than Driver B, aiming to maintain a good pace even on older tyres. The gamble is that Driver B, after pitting for fresh rubber, might struggle to get those tyres up to operating temperature quickly. This initial slowness on the out-lap after the pit stop could allow Driver A to extend their lead and maintain position even after their own eventual pit stop.

Also, Driver A will have the chance to further extend their lead due to the clean air, which provides optimal aerodynamic performance due to not having a car in front.

Overcut is less popular than undercut, and it is used on tracks with low tyre degradation and where it's nearly impossible to overtake, just like in Monaco.

At the 2021 Monaco Grand Prix, Hamilton attempted an undercut on Pierre Gasly but struggled to get heat into his new tyres, resulting in slower lap times compared to Gasly on used tyres. This allowed Gasly to extend his lead and maintain his position after his pit stop.

Sebastian Vettel, however, stayed out even longer than Gasly and Hamilton, and with well-managed tyres, emerged ahead of both after his pit stop.

So, the next time you see a driver pit early or late during a grand prix, remember the strategic chess match of undercuts and overcuts that can make or break a race.

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