If you have way better shields/guns than your target, it may be profitable to "joust". That is, instead of turning to meet your target, fly past them, flip 180 degrees and boost towards them while firing all guns. Switch flight assist off for faster turning and point towards your target. Be sure to use thrust up/down/left/right while flying towards your target to avoid killing yourself by smacking into them like an idiot. If you're extremely confident in your guns and shields, you can do the Battlestar Galactica Flip. That is: Fly past your opponent, flight assist off, flip 180 degrees, reverse thrust. The AI will usually chase you, so this maximizes the time you can fire on them without having to move to aim. If they chicken out (or you need to chicken out), hit boost, set throttle to forward and remember to use vertical thrusters to avoid smacking into them as you zoom past/after them.