Fresh tyres before your rival
An undercut is a tactic in which the trailing driver stops first. They try to gain time on fresh tyres while the rival continues on more worn rubber. Positions can change after the rival stops, even without an on-track overtake.
Diagram · strategy window
Three helpful conditions
Fresh tyres must become faster quickly enough, the driver must rejoin in favourable traffic and the original gap must be recoverable. A slow stop can cancel the advantage. An undercut is therefore an opportunity, not a guarantee.
What to watch on television
Compare the out-lap of the driver who stopped with the rival’s in-lap. Also look at the distance to the cars ahead. The stopwatch shows the effect, but traffic often explains the cause.
