Okay, so today I decided to mess around with “divebombing” in F1. I’ve seen the pros do it, pulling off these insane overtakes at the last second, and I always thought, “Yeah, I can totally do that.” Spoiler alert: it’s harder than it looks.
Getting Started
First, I picked my car and track. I went with the Red Bull because, well, it’s fast, and I chose Monza because it has those long straights that just beg for some late-braking action. I fired up the game and jumped into a practice session.
The First Few Attempts
My initial plan was simple: get as close as possible to the car in front on the straight, then slam on the brakes at the last possible moment and swerve to the inside. Easy peasy, right? Wrong.
- Attempt 1: I completely missed the braking point and ended up in the gravel. The car spun out like a top, and I was facing the wrong way. Not a great start.
- Attempt 2: I braked a little earlier this time, but still way too late. I locked up the tires, and the car went straight on, plowing into the barrier. Oops.
- Attempt 3: I finally managed to stay on the track, but I braked so early that the car behind me almost rear-ended me. I basically just gave up the position.
Figuring It Out (Sort Of)
After a few more (okay, many more) failed attempts, I started to get a feel for it. The key, I realized, was to find that sweet spot between braking too late and braking too early. And it’s a tiny, tiny spot.
I started practicing by braking just a bit later than I normally would, and then gradually pushing the braking point further and further back. I also found that trail braking – keeping some pressure on the brakes as you turn in – helped a lot with controlling the car.
The “Successful” Divebomb
Finally, after what felt like hours, I pulled off something that resembled a divebomb. I came up behind another car on the main straight, got into their slipstream, and then braked super late, just as we were approaching the corner. I managed to get the car slowed down enough to make the turn, and I even squeezed past the other car on the inside. It wasn’t pretty, and I definitely used up all my tire life, but I did it!
Conclusion
So, yeah, divebombing is tough. It takes a lot of practice, a lot of patience, and a lot of crashing. But when you finally nail it, it’s pretty damn satisfying. Just don’t expect to be pulling off Verstappen-level moves right away. I certainly. Don’t be like me. I still need more practice.
