Motor Sports
The Formula 1 Undercut Explained: A Key to Overtaking
Undercutting is one of the strategies used by Formula 1 teams to gain an advantage over their opponents. It’s implemented with several factors considered. We explore this strategy in depth.
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An undercut is one of the most common pit strategies used by Formula 1 teams to gain advantage over their rivals.
The strategy involves pitting before drivers already ahead of you in a race. The resulting advantages can possibly sway the race in favour of the said driver.
It is a strategy believed to be aggressive and teams analyse various factors before taking that final decision. We explore the Formula 1 undercut and how it works in a race.
What is the Undercut in Formula 1?
The undercut is employed during pit stops by pitting earlier, usually by a lap or more over opponents to gain track position over them by utilising fresher tires. The tactic is a direct result of tire management.
Fresher tires allow for more traction, therefore, timing the undercut allows drivers to push harder and potentially overtake opponents who stay longer on the track before pitting.
This is done not on the whim but based on data analysed by the team who consider track position, the overall race and of course tire conditions.
It’s not playing the long game as compared to the overcut, where the driver stays on the track longer with worn tires.
How the Undercut Looks in Play
In play, the undercut would look something like this. Driver A and Driver B going at it for position one, that’s two cars, and Driver A undertakes the decision to pit first.
His decision to sacrifice track time obviously means that he will lose some time during that interval. However, he will have a slight advantage by returning with significantly better tires.
Driver B’s decision to stay longer on the track obviously has some disadvantages in that respect because Driver A’s first lap after pitting will be considerably faster than Driver B on worn tires.
Driver A’s decision to pit first will afford him the chance to reduce the time gap over Driver B, possibly overtaking him by the time the latter exits his first pit.
The undercut strategy is, however, usually used on circuits where overtaking is hard and high degradation of tires is very high.
Factors to Executing a Successful Undercut
We believe the following factors to be key for executing a successful undercut in Formula 1. Tires feature at the top, as well as other variables that have the potential of derailing the strategy.
New Tires, Better Performance
The pitting driver gains a significant advantage with fresher tires that give him better grip and speed. It’s crucial to time the pit to make the most out of the new tires.
Track Space
Joining the track with enough space ahead for the driver is crucial to make the most of the new tires without much traffic in the way.
Pit Stop Effectively
Minimising pit time is crucial for a successful undercut. Wasting time during that interval will negate any advantage that would have accrued.
Conditions of the track
Highly degradable circuits are primed well for the undercut. This where the strategy works best, as already mentioned above.
Other Factors
Interruptions must be at a minimum for the undercut to work effectively. Things like yellow flags, safety cars and virtual safety cars can have a negative effect.
Does Undercutting Always Work Effectively?
When timed and executed correctly, undercutting works effectively. The strategy can backfire though if the opponent is able to anticipate the undercutting driver’s intentions and counters them.
By pitting later, having already anticipated the undercutting driver, the opponent will have newer tires towards the end of the race. This can help them gain the lead back if it was eclipsed by the undercutting driver.
It all depends on execution and the counter strategy by the opponent, or overcutting if we may put it that way.
The undercut works well in hot conditions where tires degrade faster, as opposed to the overcut which works well in cooler conditions where tires take longer to warm up.
Instances Where Undercutting Worked and Didn’t
As a strategy, undercutting works well if it is executed properly, on a particular circuit and if opponents can’t counter it properly. There are notable instances of it working or the contrary in numerous Grand Prix events. Below we explore four of those.
2019 Singapore Grand Prix
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German driver, Sebastian Vettel pulled of a well-executed undercut at the 2019 Singapore Grand Prix, on a circuit known for high-degradation and where overtaking is difficult to pull off.
Vettel did this coming from position three, behind Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The German’s new rubber allowed him to set a good out-lap time, significantly faster than his opponents, with his last win in Formula 1.
2017 Monaco Grand Prix
Sebestian Vettel secured a victory using the undercut strategy, albeit a bit controversial ahead of his Ferrari teammate Kimi Raikkonen after overtaking him in the pits.
The Finn struggled to warm up his tires whilst Vettel, who had pitted before him surged on with a series of blistering laps. Raikkonen was displeased with teammate, barely showing any emotions on the podium.
2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes caught out Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, who admitted that they did not think Hamilton would have a strong finish to the race after pitting early.
Ricciardo had led the race but dropped out of the podium finishes because of his pit stop. He finished fourth behind teammate Max Verstappen.
2021 Monaco Grand Prix
Here we have an example of undercutting not working effectively. Lewis Hamilton stopped on lap 29 to undercut Pierre Gasly. The strategy backfired though as his tires failed to heat up quickly.
That meant Gasly, who was on track longer, with older tires, was able to lap quicker than Hamilton who had newer tires.
FAQs
When the driver who pits first sets a fast enough lap time to cover for the time spent pitting. Other factors include track layout and weather conditions.
Teams rely on data to decide. Things like fuel load, tire condition and track position are considered.
The strategy not working out is one of the risks of undercutting. Not setting out a fast enough time to recover is also another risk.
It depends on the circuit’s conditions. Each works effectively well under different conditions. The undercut in circuits where overtaking is difficult and highly degradable to the tires and the inverse for the overcut.
Yellow flags, safety cars and virtual safety cars are one of the few things that can disrupt the efficiency of an undercut.
Jimmy is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and has a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies. He’s a sports fanatic of several sporting disciplines which he is well versed with.