There are several ways to go about defending your position against an opponent. Often, it’s best to try to adhere to the ideal line, and disregard the performance of your pursuer, since the more concentration you dedicate to the others, the slower you tend to go. Glance in your mirrors for a hair too long, and it’s possible to miss your braking point, botch a corner and concede your position.

This approach is shown here in a dicing masterclass from the inimitable Finn, Kimi Raikkonen. Pursued in his Ferrari by the calm, methodical and precise Jenson Button, Raikkonen does all he can to keep the Briton at bay. With slightly more engine power, the Ferrari has an advantage on the straights, and Raikkonen’s forceful driving style helps him maintain a convincing lead throughout the duration of this dice. However, Button knows how to pressure his opponents into a mistake, and is never one to be taken lightly.

Raikkonen and Button give just enough space as they both try to secure the corner entry.

On certain straights, Button enables his DRS to drop the rear wing and allow for some more straightline speed. Sensing this, Raikkonen diverts from his conventional line to defend the inside, knowing full well that Button could squeeze past. Cleverly, Raikkonen remains alongside Button long enough to prevent an over-under pass.

In fact, the Finn’s braking is near-perfect. As he takes the inside line, he still manages to brake late and hard, without running wide or losing much speed in the process. This ability to improvise and slide the car gives Raikkonen a mild dynamic advantage that makes even the ultra-quick Button struggle to find a way by.

Eventually, Button does manage to squeeze by — but not without having to run wheel-to-wheel with Raikkonen. The two give one another just enough space without any dirty nudges or pushes off the track, but the narrow, twisting nature of the circuit make it difficult to run two-abreast. These two show just how the best road racers battle one another: with a degree of respect, an understanding of when to defend and when to try and stretch the gap, and a superhuman level of calm when inches from touching wheels. Spectacular, methodical and gutsy, these two certainly earn their respective paychecks.