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Full safety car
Cars form a queue behind the safety car, no overtaking except permitted lapping when instructed. Pit lanes stay open; teams often pit for fresh tyres when the field is slow.
Restarts are rolling: when the safety car pulls in, the leader controls the pace until the green light at the control line.
Virtual safety car
Drivers must stay above a minimum time published for each marshalling sector. Gaps are preserved more loosely than a full safety car, but pit stops lose less time relative to on-track rivals.
Strategy impact
Leaders may stay out to track position; midfield teams gamble on cheap stops. A well-timed safety car can flip race results — one reason teams monitor weather and incident risk live.
Frequently asked questions
- Can lapped cars unlap themselves under safety car?
- Race control may allow lapped cars to pass and rejoin the back of the queue before a restart so leaders fight for the win without backmarkers in the way.