Glossary

Undercut

Answer

The undercut is when a driver pits earlier than the car ahead, fits fresh tyres, and uses the immediate pace advantage to overtake on track once the rival pits a lap or two later. It exploits the gap between worn-tyre and new-tyre lap times during the few laps a stop creates.

The undercut is a Formula 1 pit-stop tactic. A driver pits earlier than a rival, fits fresh tyres, and uses the immediate one-to-two-second-per-lap advantage of new rubber to jump ahead once the rival makes their own stop a lap or two later.^[2]

For the full explanation, including the lap-by-lap mechanics, when it works, what kills it, and how teams defend against it, see What is the undercut in F1?.