Formula 1 has long used flags to control the on-track racing action under a number of varying circumstances. And for the casual viewer, it may not always be clear what the different colors of the flags might mean. For example, there are three different situations where flags involving the colors black and white are used and each of those situations couldn’t be more different than the other.
What is the white flag used for?
In Formula 1, a white flag indicates that a slower vehicle is ahead, and drivers should proceed with caution. This flag is often seen at the end of practice sessions when drivers are preparing for practice starts on the grid. It can also signal the presence of a slower car with a mechanical issue, or a miscellaneous vehicle like a medical car.
There was a recent controversy involving the use of a white flag during the first qualifying session in Baku which led to Lando Norris’s elimination from Q1. As Norris was approaching the final couple of corners before the start-finish straight, a yellow flag was triggered due to the slow-moving Alpine of Esteban Ocon, meaning the Briton had to abort his final push lap.
Norris is out in Q1! But was he unlucky or did another stupid mistake?
You can see yellow flag briefly super far away in T15, then passing Ocon with a puncture, but seeing green flag then.
Also did a mistake in T15 and slow (not stationary) Ocon should be white, not yellow. pic.twitter.com/vxWNJrjs1A
— Maxx | F1newsletter.com (@F1_Newsletter) September 14, 2024
Although the yellow flag was shown only momentarily, it was enough to ruin Norris’ lap, which led to the experts suggesting that race control should have instead waved a white flag which would at least have allowed the Briton to finish his lap.
The Yellow flag means that drivers should be cautious and prepare to slow down due to a hazard on the track, while a white flag only reflects a slow-moving vehicle and there is not necessarily a hazard on the track ahead.
What is the black flag used for?
In Formula 1, a black flag means a driver has been disqualified from the race and must immediately return to the pits. The flag is waved along with the driver’s number to indicate who has been disqualified. Being disqualified from a race is a serious matter, which is why there have only been a handful of moments when a black flag has been shown to a driver.
One of the most infamous incidents happened during the 1994 British Grand Prix when Michael Schumacher was shown the black flag for not being able to serve his five-second stop-go penalty on time. However, he ignored the black flag and finished the race for which he was later disqualified and given a two-race ban.
What does the black and white flag mean in F1?
In Formula 1, a black and white flag is a warning to a driver that they have been noted by race control for unsportsmanlike behavior or a minor rule break (for example, going beyond the track limits). It is shown by marshals at specific points on the track or displayed alongside the car number on the start/finish line.
If a driver keeps ignoring the black and white flags and doesn’t stop the behavior that triggered it, the stewards can then impose a penalty based on the severity of the offense. For example, a driver is shown a black and white flag three times for going beyond the track limits. If the driver does so for a fourth time, he usually receives a five-second penalty.
