Glossary

Overcut

Answer

The overcut is the inverse of the undercut. A driver stays out longer than a rival who has already pitted, using the speed advantage of clear air on still-functional tyres while the rival fights warm-up and traffic on cold fresh tyres. When the long-staying driver finally pits, they emerge ahead.

The overcut is a Formula 1 pit-stop tactic and the mirror image of the undercut. A driver stays out longer than a rival, banks fast laps in clear air on tyres that are still working, then pits later and rejoins ahead once the rival's fresh-tyre advantage has faded.^[1]

For when the overcut beats the undercut and how teams set it up, see What is the overcut in F1?.