Yellow and double yellow
Single yellow: danger ahead — slow down, no overtaking in the sector until past the incident.
Double yellow: serious hazard or blocked track — significant speed reduction required; drivers must be ready to stop.
Red and blue flags
Red flag: session suspended. Cars must slow and return to the pit lane in order.
Blue flag: a faster car is closing to lap you — let them pass safely without blocking.
Green and chequered
Green flag: danger cleared — normal racing resumes in that sector.
Chequered flag: session or race finished for all cars when they cross the line.
Safety car vs virtual safety car
Physical safety car bunches the field on track. Virtual safety car (VSC) enforces minimum sector times remotely without a pace car on track — useful for smaller incidents.
Frequently asked questions
- Can you overtake under yellow flags in qualifying?
- No meaningful improvement — lap times in yellow sectors are often deleted and stewards investigate overtakes near incidents.