Brake check

This article is about the driving manoeuvre. For testing of automotive brake systems, seebrake tester.

Rear-end collisionis a possible outcome from brake testing.

Abrake check,also known as abrake test,occurs when a driver deliberately either taps on thebrakesseveral times or slams hard on the pedal when moving in front of another vehicle, with the intention of causing the behind driver to either collide or take evasive action.The term is often applied in the context ofauto racing.

Legality

Brake checking is often considered a crime and falls under laws pertaining to reckless driving, aggressive driving, or stunt driving.The Washington State Department of Licensing in the United States includes brake checking as a symptom ofaggressive driving.Legal experts in the CanadianProvinceofOntarioconsider it to fall under that province's stunt driving laws.

In motorsports

The concept of brake checking is often seen inauto racing,with several drivers being accused of, or admitting to, brake checking competitors for various reasons. At the2006 Lenox Industrial Tools 300atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway,NASCARdriverRobby Gordonbrake checkedMichael Waltripduring a caution period in what was seen as retaliation for contact both made earlier in the race and for an incident that occurred between the two the year prior at the same track. The stoppage caved in the nose and radiator of Waltrip's car, leaving him stranded in the middle of the backstretch with fluid leaking onto the track.

An incident in the2017 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand PrixbetweenLewis HamiltonandSebastian Vettelwas attributed to Vettel's belief that he had been brake checked by Hamilton.

In 2018, an on-track incident betweenNASCARdriversKevin HarvickandDenny Hamlinat the springMartinsville Speedwayrace ended in whatAutoweek's Matt Weaver described as, "Harvick...slamming on his brakes, the resulting contact severely damaging the nose on Hamlin’s Toyota." Hamlin would later comment, "I probably should have brake-checked him in the first place."

In 2021, at theSaudi Arabian Grand Prix,Max Verstappenbrake checkedLewis Hamiltonafter Verstappen was asked to give a place back for previously overtaking Hamilton off track.Red Bull Racing’s chief technical officerAdrian Neweysaid "I think he got frustrated with Lewis not overtaking him but he still shouldn’t have brake-tested him."

In the2024 Australian Grand Prix,during the final lap of the race,Aston Martin'sFernando Alonsobrake testedMercedes'George Russellat Turn Six of the circuit, which caused Russell to close distance unusually fast. This culminated in Russell losing control of the car, causing him to crash, with the car coming to rest upside-down in the middle of the track. This saw the race ending under avirtual safety car.Alonso received a 20 second penalty for erratic driving. Russell would later comment: "It caught me by surprise. I was half a second behind him and next thing he slams on the brakes, accelerates again and then slams on the brakes again."

External links

• Benson, Andrew (2006-08-04)."Alonso penalty adds to team woes".BBC Sport.Retrieved2006-08-06.

• Benson, Andrew (2017-06-26)."Azerbaijan GP: 'F1 in 2017 just got nasty - and it's Sebastian Vettel's fault'".BBC Sport.Retrieved2017-06-26.