Racing has always been about speed, skill and safety. One of the oldest and most enduring ways to keep drivers or riders informed is via flags. Long before electronic boards and radio comms, racing marshals used coloured flags to communicate vital messages: start the race, caution ahead, race over. Those traditions go back to the early days of motorsport in the early 20th century. As racing evolved, so did the flag systems. They are standardised by sanctioning bodies like the FIA and FIM to ensure clarity and safety across all series of motorsports.
Welcome back to Racing 101, where I, the Paddock Queen, break down the key topics of motorsport into stories you can actually enjoy. Today, we’re diving into one of the sport’s most universal languages: racing flags. From Formula 1 to MotoGP, flags are how race control communicates with drivers and riders in real time. By the end of this article, you’ll know exactly what each flag means, how its use differs across series, and why understanding them can completely change how you watch a race.
Brief History of Race Flags
The idea of using flags to communicate in racing goes back to the earliest organised motorsport events in the early 1900s. As racing moved from informal competitions to structured championships, the need for standard signals grew. Sanctioning bodies like FIA (for cars) and FIM (for bikes) formalised flag rules to ensure consistency, safety, and fairness. Over time, the variety of flags increased (for grip, for mechanical issues, for unsportsmanlike conduct) as the complexity of racing grew.
How Flags Work in FIA & FIM Series
Flags are signals lit up in colour or physically waved by marshals around the track to convey instructions or warnings. Drivers or riders are required under the series regulations to obey them immediately; otherwise, they might face serious penalties that might cost them a race victory or important championship points.
Each flag has a distinct meaning depending on the situation—whether during practice, qualifying, or race—and some flags have slightly different interpretations between FIA (for cars) and FIM (for bikes) series.
Key Flags & Meanings
Here are the main race flags used in motorsport:
🟩 Green Flag
FIA: Track clear; session start/restart; racing resumes after a caution.
FIM: Track clear; session or race can start/restart after an incident.
🟨 Yellow Flag (Single)
FIA: Hazard ahead (crash, debris, reduced grip); slow down; no overtaking until clear.
FIM: Hazard ahead (crash, debris, reduced grip); slow down; no overtaking.
🟨🟨 Double Yellow Flags
FIA: Serious danger or marshals on track; be ready to stop.
FIM: Serious danger; prepare to stop; no overtaking.
🟧 Yellow & Red Striped Flag
FIA: Slippery surface ahead (oil, water, debris).
FIM: Slippery surface warning (oil, water, debris).
🔵 Blue Flag
FIA: Faster car approaching/lapping; must allow it to pass.
FIM: Faster rider approaching/lapping; must allow it to pass.
⚪ White Flag
FIA: Very slow vehicle or service car on track.
FIM: Wet race declared / permission for bike change (“flag-to-flag”); also slow vehicle on track.
🟥 Red Flag
FIA: Session or race stopped immediately; proceed to pits or stop as instructed.
FIM: Race or session stopped; riders must return to pits or stop safely.
⬛ Black Flag
FIA: Driver disqualified or ordered to retire immediately. Used for major rule violations or dangerous mechanical issues.
FIM: Used with a number to indicate the rider. Rider disqualified or ordered to retire immediately.
🟠 Black Flag with Orange Disc (“Meatball”)
FIA: Mechanical issue; car must pit for repairs.
FIM: Mechanical issue; bike must pit for repairs.
◼️◻️ Black & White Diagonal Flag
FIA: Warning for unsportsmanlike behaviour. Often accompanied by a number, further penalties are imposed if repeated.
FIM: Warning for unsporting conduct or dangerous riding.
🏁 Chequered Flag
FIA: End of session or race.
FIM: End of session or race.
🟣 Code 60 Flag
FIA: Essentially a full-course caution without a safety car; all cars must slow to 60 km/h instantly, no overtaking, pits remain open unless otherwise instructed (generally used in endurance racing).
FIM: Used in some bike endurance events; all riders slow to 60 km/h, no overtaking, acts like a full-course caution without a safety car.
That’s it for this edition of Racing 101! Now that you’ve got the low-down on racing flags across racing series, I’d love to hear from you – how many of these flags did you already know, and which ones did you discover for the first time in this article? Share your answers in the comments and let’s see who’s really got the sharpest eyes in the paddock!
Bonus: After discussing the flags, it would be a shame not to recall Scott P. Schomer’s famous quick-fire explanation. Enjoy his 10-second lesson on racing flags here.
Cover Photo by Red Bull Content Pool
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