There are several different flags in motor racing, with them all meaning different things.
They are of crucial importance to the runnning of any session out on a race track, as they communicate messages to drivers from race control over potential hazards out on the circuit, the status of the Grand Prix, and when it is over.
Any budding racing driver when starting out must know what each of the flags mean and they are consistent through any race discpline, from go-karting to Formula 1.
Failure to adhere to some of the flags can lead to penalties, too, or even disqualification which has its own flag – something we will get to later on.
What are the different flag colours?
There are several different flag colours in motorsport. There’s a black and white chequered flag, a red flag, a yellow, a blue, a black, a green, a red and yellow striped, a black with an orange circle, a white and black diagonal halved, and a white flag, and they all convey different messages to drivers and team personnel before, during and after a race.
What do the different flags all mean?
The black and white chequered flag is perhaps the most famous and iconic in motorsport. It is used at the end of the race to signify its conclusion and being the first driver to cross the line when it is waving means you’ve won the race – it’s the most exciting sight you can see in racing if you’re leading as it means you’re about to be on the top step of the podium.
The red flag is flown when either a car is in a dangerous position out on track and has stopped, or if conditions, like the weather, have become too treacherous for the event to continue. The red flag means all cars must immediately stop travelling at racing speeds and should return to the pitlane at the very earliest opportunity. A decision over a session restarting will then be made in due course if and when conditions have improved or a hazard has been removed from the track.
The yellow flag is one of the most frequently seen in all of racing. It is flown when there is an incident or a hazard out on track, and can usually be followed by a Safety Car period or by a red flag being flown if things cannot be cleared up safely and quickly. Drivers must slow down when passing a yellow flagged area and overtaking is prohibited. A single waved yellow flag means slow down and a double waved yellow flag means the driver must be prepared to stop if necessary.
A blue flag is shown to a driver to warn that a faster car is behind and is trying to overtake. This is most often shown to a car that is about to be lapped by a leading car. A lapped driver must allow the faster driver through after seeing no more than three blue flags or they risk being penalised.
The black flag is one that no driver wants to see – and it is rarely seen in F1. The black flag means that the driver it is being shown to must return to the pits immediately and will likely be removed from the race thereafter as they have been disqualified for breaking the rules.
The red and yellow striped flag means that the track surface is slippery. This will usually be flown when water or oil is on the racing surface.
The green flag means track conditions are normal and safe for drivers to race at full speed. There are no hazards on track and any previous hazard has been cleared up.
The black flag with the orange disc means the driver’s car has a mechanical fault and they must head to the pitlane for the car to be checked over and repaired if necessary.
The black and white halved flag is shown to a driver for poor sporting behaviour. It is along the lines of a yellow card in football. If the driver does not heed the warning of this flag they may find themselves being shown a black flag and being disqualified from the race.
Finally, a white flag usually means that a slow moving vehicle is out on track, such as a recovery vehicle or the Safety Car. In some series, however, a white flag can also mean that there is one racing lap left of an event. NASCAR is one series that uses a white flag to signify the final tour of the circuit is about to begin.
Modern-day racing drivers have radio comms from their teams and lights on the dashboards of their steering wheels to help send messages during sessions but flags still remain one of the most effective ways of communicating in motorsport. They will be here to stay for many years ahead.
