A lock-up happens when a driver brakes too hard and one of the tyres — usually a front — stops rotating while the car’s still moving. You’ll see a puff of white smoke and hear the tyre screaming in existential dread. Lock-ups ruin braking performance, hurt tyre life, and often lead to a flat spot. But in a last-lap lunge? Sometimes worth it. Just ask Kamui Kobayashi (or anyone who’s ever tried to pass into Turn 1 at Monza).
