The Delta of Fresh Rubber
In the F1 Command Centre, victory is often found in the Pit Window. The Undercut is a tactical play where a trailing driver pits 1-2 laps earlier than the leader to utilize the grip of fresh tires.
- The Out-Lap: A successful undercut requires a “Purple” out-lap where the driver pushes the new tires to their limit immediately.
- Tire Thermal Management: If a driver overheats the tires on the out-lap, they will “fall off a cliff” later in the stint, allowing the rival to execute an Overcut.
The Data Matrix
Strategy software calculates millions of permutations per second, accounting for:
- Fuel Burn Rate: How the car’s handling changes as it gets lighter.
- Traffic Gaps: Ensuring the driver doesn’t exit the pits into a “train” of slower cars.