F1 defense: The techniques, tactics and drama of racing in the rear-view

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One of the greatest misconceptions in motor racing is that a ‘good’ or ‘exciting’ race requires lots of overtakes.

Yes, moves for position promise drama. But the simple act of changing spots isn’t enough to deliver real excitement. For that, you need the right kind of the wheel-to-wheel fight itself.

Consider Lando Norris’ display at last month’s British Grand Prix, where he defeated Lewis Hamilton in a tight battle for second place through the closing stages. It was a moment of stress and pressure for Norris, trying to keep a seven-time world champion behind him — but also a reminder of the rush that comes with racing in Formula One.

“I was smiling,” Norris told The Athletic. “But at the same time, my heart was beating through my chest.”

Even without an overtake, it was some of the most thrilling action of the F1 season — and a reminder that the often under-appreciated art of defending is a vital part of race craft. Here’s how it works.

Assessing the situation

When battling another car, drivers must consider a number of crucial factors: Which driver am I racing? What tire advantage or disadvantage do they have? Do they have to pit again? Which corners suit their car? Which suit mine better? Where can I pull away and get some breathing space?

“You’re always trying to calculate those things,” Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas told The Athletic. “You’ll try to think a little bit ahead: If I do this in this corner, he might get me in the next one. Or vice versa, I should probably defend here or wait for the next one.”

When Norris realized it was Hamilton behind him ahead of the race restart following a safety car period at Silverstone, he thought: “My chances are pretty slim here. But I’m still going to do everything I can.”

The reality of the situation justified the doom and gloom.

The safety car called on Lap 33 of 52 put Norris’s comfortable second place in doubt and boosted Hamilton’s odds. When the race resumed, Norris had Hamilton just behind and on soft tires, while McLaren had given him hards to get to the end of the race. The soft tires would offer Hamilton more grip and be easier to get up to temperature, putting Norris at risk when the race resumed on Lap 39.

“When you have a seven-time world champion, in a car that’s just as quick, the softer tires, I’m like, yeah… my chances aren’t so good here!” Norris recalled.

The decisive factors

The tire advantage would be most critical factor in the first two to three laps of the stint. The hard tires take longer to get up to temperature than the softs, but once in the right window, their added robustness would assist Norris through Silverstone’s high-speed sections.

“I knew if I…