In Formula One racing, slower drivers are expected to move aside when a faster car laps them. But some don’t give way so easily. They might wait for a spot that costs them less time, delay just enough to stay in their rhythm, or even make the faster driver fight harder to get past, throwing them off their pace. A sore loser may still find ways to resist, even when the race is decided.

New research from Wharton management professor Henning Piezunka explains why some competitors refuse to accept defeat—not just in F1, but in business and politics as well. The study, published in the journal Organization Science, analyzes nearly a decade of F1 races and more than 7,000 “lapping events.” It finds that two key factors—rivalry between racers, and the personal advantages a competitor might gain by refusing to back down—play a big role in whether a losing racer actually steps aside.

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