♟️ Race strategy

Strategy is how a team turns its car's speed into the best possible finish. Think of a marathon runner deciding when to push and when to save energy.

Pit stops

A pit stop is a quick visit to change tyres. The car is stationary for only about two to three seconds, but driving down the pit lane (which has a speed limit, usually 80 km/h) means a stop costs roughly 20 seconds overall. Teams only stop when fresh tyres will gain more time than that.

Tyre wear

Tyres lose grip the more they are used. This is called degradation. Softer tyres are quicker but wear out sooner, and harder tyres are slower but last longer. A strategy is mostly a choice of which tyres to use and when to change them. See tyres.

One stop or two?

• One stop: fewer visits to the pits, but the tyres need to last.
• Two or more stops: more time in the pits, but fresher, faster tyres for longer.

The best choice depends on how quickly the tyres wear at that circuit, so it changes every weekend.

Undercut and overcut

• Undercut: pitting before the car ahead. Fresh tyres let you set faster laps, and you can come out in front when they stop a lap or two later.
• Overcut: staying out longer while your tyres are still good, then pitting later.

Dirty air

A car following closely loses some grip because of the turbulent air behind the car in front. That makes it harder to stay close and overtake, which is why track position is so valuable.

Safety Cars change everything

When the Safety Car comes out the field bunches up, and a pit stop costs far less time. Teams often pit straight away, so a well-timed Safety Car can win or lose a race. See flags.