Every flag and what it means
Flags are the oldest way race officials talk to drivers, and they still carry the force of the rules. In F1 most flag signals are also shown on electronic light panels around the track and on a display in the car's steering wheel. The FIA treats all three as the same signal, so a driver can't argue that they missed a flag because they were watching the lights.
The meanings come from Appendix H of the FIA International Sporting Code, which covers every circuit race the FIA sanctions. F1's own sporting regulations add a few extra details on top.
Quick reference
| Flag | Who shows it | What it means | What the driver must do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green | Marshal posts | The track is clear after a hazard. Also used to start a practice session or the formation lap | Racing can resume once past the flag |
| Single waved yellow | Marshal post before a hazard | Danger beside or partly on the track | Slow down, no overtaking, be ready to change direction |
| Double waved yellow | Marshal post before a hazard | The track is wholly or partly blocked, or marshals are working on or beside it | Slow down a lot, no overtaking, be ready to stop. In qualifying the lap is deleted |
| Yellow with SC or VSC board | All posts | Safety car or virtual safety car deployed | Follow the safety car or VSC rules |
| Yellow with red stripes | Marshal posts, held still | Grip has dropped beyond the flag: oil, water or debris | Take care. Racing continues |
| Light blue | Marshal posts, and at pit exit | A faster car is about to pass you | In practice, get out of the way. In the race, let the lapping car by at the first chance |
| White | Marshal posts | A much slower vehicle is on that stretch of track | Take care. Racing continues |
| Red | All posts and the start line | The session or race is stopped | Slow down, no overtaking, return to the pit lane |
| Chequered | Start/finish line only | End of the session or race | Complete a slow lap and return to the pits or parc fermé |
| Black and white, divided diagonally (with car number) | Start/finish line | A warning for unsporting behaviour or repeated offences | Nothing immediately. A repeat may bring a penalty |
| Black with orange disc (with car number) | Start/finish line | The car has a mechanical problem that could be dangerous | Pit on the next lap and fix it |
| Black (with car number) | Start/finish line | The driver is disqualified | Pit on the next lap and stop |
Flags shown by the marshals
Marshals stand at posts all the way round the lap, each one in sight of the next. Their flags tell drivers about the stretch of track just ahead of that post. That's why a yellow flag is followed by a green one further on: the green marks the end of the danger zone.
- Yellow flags are the most common signal and the one that causes the most penalties.
- Blue flags show up all the time in a race as the leaders lap the backmarkers.
- The white flag warns that something much slower is on the track ahead, such as a recovery truck, a course car, or a racing car limping back to the pits.
- The yellow flag with red stripes is held still, not waved. It warns of a slippery surface from oil, water or debris such as gravel thrown up by a car that ran wide. Under Appendix H it normally stays out for up to 4 laps unless the surface is cleaned up sooner. No green flag is needed after it.
- The green flag means the danger is past. It is also waved to start a practice session, and from the back of the grid to tell the starter that every car has stopped in its grid slot.
Flags shown at the start/finish line
The red, chequered and black flags are controlled by race control rather than individual marshals. The red flag is waved at the line and at every marshal post at the same time. The three black flags are always shown with a board carrying the car's number, and the team is told by radio as well.
- The red flag stops the session. Drivers must slow down straight away, must not overtake, and must head into the pit lane. See red flags and suspended races.
- The chequered flag ends the session. Under Appendix H it is waved until every car has crossed the line. See after the chequered flag.
- The black flag, the black flag with an orange disc and the black and white flag each have their own page: black flags and warnings.
Flags F1 doesn't use
Some series use extra flags that you won't see in an F1 race. The purple Code 60 flag, which sets a fixed 60 km/h limit for the whole track, is used in sports car racing. F1 neutralises the race with the virtual safety car instead. Some championships also use a "last lap" signal or a national flag to start the race. F1 starts with lights: see lights, panels and pit exit signals.
What happens if a driver ignores a flag
Ignoring a flag is a breach of the rules, and the stewards look at every case where it might have happened. They have data from the car to help them: if a driver was supposed to slow for yellows, the stewards can see exactly when they lifted off the throttle and how their speed compared with a normal lap. Penalties range from a reprimand to grid drops and time penalties, depending on how serious the hazard was. See types of penalties.