What is the undercut in F1?
Pitting for fresh tyres before a rival, then using the grip advantage to jump ahead once they stop.
The undercut is a strategy where a driver pits earlier than the car they are racing. On new, faster tyres they set quick "out-lap" times while the rival is still circulating on worn rubber, so that when the rival finally stops they rejoin behind. It works best where fresh tyres offer a big early advantage and where track position is hard to win on the road. Teams weigh it against the risk of rejoining in traffic.
See also: how F1 qualifying works.
Related strategy & the pit stop terms
- 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.
- Out-lap and in-lap — 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.
- 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.