A process and apparatus for regulating the operator-controlled brake pressure of a vehicle wheel to prevent wheel lock-up by sensing a lock-up tendency and independently varying the operator-controlled brake pressure at the skidding wheel during successive cycles of wheel skid control. The sensed wheel behavior is monitored by an evaluation circuit which measures the duration of brake pressure reapplication with constant gradient during an initial cycle, provides a time period during a subsequent cycle that is a predetermined time duration less than the time duration of reapplication pressure in the initial cycle, and following expiration of the reduced time duration, establishes reapplication of pressure with a pressure gradient lower than the gradient during the initial cycle, whereby the reapplication pressure during control cycles subsequent to the initial control cycle is with a stepped gradient.