Flags and the Safety Car
What each flag means, and how the Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car work.
Flags (and the Safety Car) tell drivers what's happening on track. You'll see them on TV, and the status on our live page changes when they come out.
| Flag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟢 Green | The track is clear. Racing is on. |
| 🟡 Yellow | Danger ahead: slow down and no overtaking. Two waved yellows means be ready to stop. |
| 🔴 Red | The session is stopped. Cars go back to the pit lane. |
| 🔵 Blue | You're about to be lapped. Let the faster car through. |
| ⚪ White | A slow vehicle is on the track ahead. |
| ⚫ Black | A driver is disqualified or must come into the pits. |
| 🏁 Chequered | The session is over. |
Safety Car and Virtual Safety Car
- Safety Car (SC): a road car leads the field at a slow speed, usually after a crash or debris. The cars bunch up behind it, and overtaking is banned until it comes in.
- Virtual Safety Car (VSC): no car leads the field. Instead everyone must slow down to a set speed, so the gaps between cars stay the same.
Red flags and restarts
After a red flag the race is paused. Cars wait in the pit lane, repairs can be made, and the race restarts behind a Safety Car or from a standing start.
See how these affect results in the race, and why teams love or fear them in race strategy.