A race strategy is a plan for when to change tyres, which compounds to use, and how to react when the race state changes — safety cars, rain, or an aggressive rival.
| Move | Idea | Risk |
|---|---|---|
| Undercut | Pit earlier; use fresh tyres to jump a rival | Traffic after stop; early tyre cliff |
| Overcut | Stay out longer while rival pits | Traffic; losing pace on worn tyres |
| Offset strategy | Different compound or stop count | Harder to cover if race goes green |
Safety cars rewrite the math
A safety car shrinks the pit-lane time loss relative to racing speed. Teams often 'free stop' under SC — converting a 20+ second loss into a few seconds — which can scramble the order overnight.
Key takeaways
- Pit loss vs tyre gain is the core equation.
- Undercuts need clear air after the stop.
- Safety cars are the biggest strategy wild card.
- Track type changes how aggressive you can be.