

When a red flag is waved drivers must reduce their speed significantly and make their way back to the pit lane. It is waved due to imminent danger to the drivers or viewers. Red flags during an F1 race, qualifying or practice session means that the session is immediately stopped. An example of this is the 2022 qualifying session in Monaco where Sergio Perez crashed into the barrier and had Carlos Sainz crash into the back of him causing a large section of the track to be blocked, stopping other drivers from getting past. A single waved yellow flag means that drivers are prohibited from overtaking, therefore cars must slow down because of danger on the track.Ī double-waved yellow flag is where, again, it is prohibited to overtake and drivers must slow down because something is blocking the track. There are actually 2 types of yellow flags: single waved yellow flags and double waved yellow flags. A safety car will be deployed mainly if a car has stopped off the track but is in a position where the marshals can easily and quickly remove it from the circuit without endangering themselves and the drivers. Yellow flags are more often than not accompanied by a safety car. Sometimes if an incident on track is bad a red flag will be waved after the yellow flag, I’ll explain more about the red flags further below. Yellow flags will always be seen waved by marshals immediately after an incident has happened on track. When a yellow flag is waved, many of the drivers will take this opportunity to go into the pits and change their tyres or repair their car if needed (front wing, DRS, rear wing). This can obviously compromise the driver’s qualifying session, even more so if it is their last flying lap before the qualifying session ends. During qualifying sessions, if a yellow flag is waved drivers must abandon their flying laps.

If a driver goes over the speed limit they could get a penalty. When under a yellow flag the drivers must reduce their speed and they will no longer be able to overtake. Whether that is a car has stopped on track, there was a crash and debris is covered across the track or a car goes into the barriers. This coloured flag basically means that there has been a hazard on the track. The yellow flags are usually seen the most during a Formula 1 session. The main flags you’ll usually see on are the yellow, red, green and blue flags. However, other coloured and patterned flags can be used. While everyone knows the chequered flag signals the end of the race, in a Formula 1 race there are 10 flags that could possibly be waved/used to indicate important information to drivers during a Grand Prix.
