What are the out-lap and in-lap in F1?
The out-lap is the lap leaving the pits on fresh tyres; the in-lap is the lap driven into the pits before a stop.
An out-lap is the lap a car completes immediately after leaving the pit lane, when its tyres and brakes are still coming up to temperature. An in-lap is the lap driven just before pitting, when a driver pushes hard to bank time before losing it in the pit lane. Both are crucial to strategy: a strong in-lap and out-lap are what make an undercut work. In qualifying, the out-lap is used to prepare the tyres for a single fast "push" lap.
Related strategy & the pit stop terms
- The undercut — Pitting for fresh tyres before a rival, then using the grip advantage to jump ahead once they stop.
- The overcut — Staying out longer than a rival on older tyres, then using clear track to pit later and emerge ahead.
- Box / "box, box" — The radio call telling a driver to come into the pits this lap; "box" comes from the German for the pit garage.
- Marbles — Bits of worn tyre rubber that collect off the racing line and are very slippery to drive over.
- Pit window — The range of laps in which stopping makes strategic sense given tyre life and the cars nearby.
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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.