Anyone who was watching the Jeddah Grand Prix this weekend will no doubt have noticed that there is a fine line between pushing the limits while racing and tripping over the line. Top Gear’s Freddie Flintoff has been getting lessons how to walk that tightrope.
His first lesson, which is unlikely to be found in any official manuals on racing (and has been the cause of some controversy) is the brake test. This move sees the driver in the lead applying just a little bit of brake at a not quite expected time, scaring the following driver off and causing them to over-brake and fall behind.
When asked if it’s considered a dirty trick, the instructor clarifies that it’s “frowned upon a little bit, but you can get away with it.” Another driver calls it “sportsmanship. Bad sportsmanship.”
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Another defensive tactic that can be hard to pull off correctly is holding your racing line. This move sees the driver who is in the lead gently closing the door on the following car that is attempting to complete a pass on the outside.
On the more offensive side, the BTCC instructor shows Flintoff how to pull off a “last-minute overtake,” in which you lunge as soon as the leading car touches their brakes, allowing you to dive up the inside.
There is also the tried and tested “switchback.” This play sees the following driver lure the leading driver into defending the inside before moving back over to the racing line. Having forced the leading driver onto a worse line, the following driver simply accelerates past them on the inside of the track at the corner exit.
It’s all easier said than done but with these weapons in hand, a driver should be able to perform well when the racing gets close and the competition gets exciting.