Flags and Safety Car
Yellow, blue, red, chequered… What each flag means, plus the Safety Car and the Virtual Safety Car.
Last updated: October 1, 2026
Why flags matter
Marshals at the side of the track and electronic light panels send messages to the drivers with flags. Drivers must obey them, and ignoring them leads to serious penalties. Once you know the flags below, it is much easier to follow what is happening on track.
Green
The track is clear and the yellow-flag zone has ended. Also shown at the start of a session.
Yellow
Danger ahead. Drivers must slow down; overtaking is not allowed.
Double yellow
Serious danger. Drivers must slow down significantly and be ready to stop; overtaking is not allowed.
Red
The session is stopped. All cars return slowly to the pit lane.
Blue
A faster car is approaching. In the race, a driver about to be lapped must let it through.
White
There is a slow vehicle ahead, such as a recovery or medical car.
Black
The driver whose number is shown has been disqualified and must return to the pits.
Black and white
A warning for unsporting behaviour, such as repeated track-limit offences. The next offence can bring a penalty.
Black with orange disc
The car has a dangerous technical problem (such as a loose part) and must come into the pits.
Red and yellow stripes
Slippery surface: there may be oil, water or debris on track.
Chequered
The session or race has finished.
The Safety Car
When there is a crash or hazard on track but the race does not need to be stopped, the Safety Car comes out. The drivers line up behind it, overtaking is not allowed and the gaps close up while the marshals clear the track.
When the Safety Car returns to the pits, the race restarts at a moment chosen by the leader. Safety Car periods are a big opportunity for pit stops and can change the whole race.
The Virtual Safety Car (VSC)
For smaller incidents the Virtual Safety Car (VSC) is used. There is no real car on track; every driver has to stick to a target speed (a delta time) shown on their steering-wheel display. Overtaking is not allowed and the gaps are roughly preserved. Drivers are warned just before the VSC ends, and the race resumes under green flags.
SC board
The Safety Car is on track. Shown together with yellow flags.
VSC board
A Virtual Safety Car period has started.
Red flag procedure
When the red flag comes out, the session is stopped and the cars drive slowly into the pit lane. Teams may change tyres and carry out some minor repairs. Depending on the situation, the race resumes behind the Safety Car or with a standing start.
Sources
The information in this section was checked against the sources below and written in our own words.
This guide is a plain-language summary written by SectorBeat and is not official. The FIA's published regulations always take precedence.