Tyre degradation

Tyre degradation is the gradual loss of grip as a tyre wears and overheats through a stint, and it is the hidden clock every Formula 1 strategy runs against. Deg comes in two flavours: thermal, where the tyre overheats and greases up, and physical wear, where the rubber simply runs out. Managing deg, sometimes running seconds off the pace to keep tyres alive for a longer stint, is the strategic heart of the undercut and overcut battles that decide races. Strategy analysis lives at Motorsport.com.