Yellow & Green

Yellow is the language of danger, and it comes in two strengths. A single waved yellow means there is a hazard ahead — slow down, be ready to change direction, and absolutely no overtaking. A double waved yellow is far more serious: be prepared to stop, because something is partly or fully blocking the track.

Flags are shown by marshals stationed at posts around the circuit, and each post covers one stretch — a “sector” of the lap. A yellow applies only to the zone it is shown in, so a driver lifts for that section and can be back at full speed moments later once past the incident. Because no one can spot a flag at 300 km/h with certainty, every signal is mirrored by lights on the car’s dashboard, so the driver always knows what is being shown ahead.

The green flag is the all-clear: the hazard is gone and normal racing resumes. It is shown at the end of the yellow zone so a driver knows the exact point where they can race — and overtake — again, and at the start of a session or formation lap to signal the track is open.