What is tyre degradation (“deg”) in F1?
The gradual loss of tyre grip and lap time over a stint as the rubber wears and overheats.
Degradation, usually shortened to "deg", is the way a tyre loses performance the longer it is used. As the rubber wears, blisters or overheats, the car's grip fades and lap times climb, which is central to pit-stop strategy. High-deg tracks force more stops or careful tyre management; low-deg tracks let drivers push harder for longer. It is distinct from simple wear — a tyre can "drop off" sharply in grip well before it is physically worn out.
Related aero & the car terms
- DRS (Drag Reduction System) — A driver-operated flap in the rear wing that opens to cut drag and boost straight-line speed, allowed only when following closely in a DRS zone.
- Ground effect — Downforce generated by shaping the car's floor so airflow underneath speeds up and sucks the car onto the track.
- Dirty air — The turbulent, low-energy wake shed by a car in front that robs the following car of downforce and grip.
- Porpoising — A rapid vertical bouncing of the car at speed, caused by ground-effect downforce repeatedly stalling and returning.
- The halo — The titanium hoop around the cockpit that protects the driver's head from debris and impacts.
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Definition written in plain language from the current F1 sporting rules and common usage, current as of 14 August 2026. Unofficial; not affiliated with Formula 1.