Flags in racing

At the very beginning of motorsport, there has been debate on how to communicate with drivers and how to warn them against possible danger. In just such a purpose built racing flags. However, we do not know exactly when it really was this way of communication, but some historians have put forward the thesis that it was much earlier than was the first car. It began, of course, the most famous flag - that is, in black and white checkerboard pattern. Some sources say that the flag that was used long ago in the sediments in the western part of the united states. Legend says that during the horse races that were a real treat, waving this flag signaled the time for a meal, or the time at the end of play. Other sources say that the flag was first used during the cycling event in France in the nineteenth century.
For many years the flag was evolved very many types and in various racing series could encounter a differing from each other with flags in terms of both meaning and appearance. However, over time all the flags have been standardized in some way and is now racing in all their significance is very similar, if not the same.
The person responsible for the reasonable use of flags are stewards. These are the kind of race judges who are on the so-called Points of Observation (PO). The distance between these points is dependent on the geometry of the track - it is necessary to such spacing on the track stewards, to the sight they had both preceding section and the next chapter. It is necessary to maintain security, on which today cares so much. At the observation points, but we do not find all the flags that are approved in the rules of the competition. Some of them are available only in the start / finish straight. And why is that you will learn later in the article.
Flags can be divided into two types: a warning and information. In today's rules of racing, we can usually find 10 types of flags. However, some flags used in several racing series - especially the U.S. (such as NASCAR and IRL) are slightly different. Significant differences are described below. Regardless of the racing series, each flag has a key role and must be sufficiently large so that driving at high speed, the driver can see and recognize her from afar, as the steward wants him to pass. Sizes of flags for each racing series are included in the regulations. In our league we rely on the flags approved by the FIA ​​International Automobile Federation league is obviously the exception of NASCAR, but also the importance of flags there is a close, and just not one of them means something different than the rules approved by the FIA.



WHITE BLACK FLAG In SZACHOWICĘ

As above mentioned, the most important and most recognizable is the flag in black and white checkerboard pattern. Many people who do not have anything to do with racing knows that it means the end of the race. The driver, who will odmachany this flag first wins the race. However, this flag also has a different meaning. It also means the end of the workout and after odmachaniu this flag during practice, warm-up or qualifications of the driver is required to pull off the track into pit lane.



GREEN FLAG

The green flag has several meanings. The primary one is the appeal of danger. Typically, in this case, hanging out with her on the point, which follows the sector where the waved yellow flags. The green flag is also often the start of the race, training, or resume it when called. during neutralization. An interesting fact may be the fact that sometimes the start of the race used the national flag. The latter was not even a place quite a long time ago when the track "Kielce" was no electricity supply panel with the lights on the track and the race had started at the White-red flag.



YELLOW FLAG

Like the green flag, yellow flag also has several meanings, but generally we can say that it warns the driver of danger. Flag waving yellow single means that the driver approaching the track section where you can expect difficulties or dangers, but the track is still passable. In this case, beyond the point where the flag was displayed overtaking is strictly forbidden, until the point where the driver passes the green flag. You can also meet with two yellow flags machanymi simultaneously, which indicates an oncoming player, the track is partially or even completely blocked. In this case, the race management may decide to introduce the safety car (called Safety Car). Then at the point of start / finish will be posted yellow flag, and all monitoring points are designed to display the yellow flag (depending on the series of waves racing or not) and a white board with letters indicating the presence of SC Safety car on track.



RED FLAG

As a judge of motorsport, to admit that this flag does not really like it. Dimensions of the flag is the greatest of all available. That means only one thing. If you stop the race or any other ongoing sessions. The flag is used most often in very dangerous (and scary-looking) situations. The decision to use this flag takes leadership race. After this decision it is to be posted immediately on all points of the PO. The duty of drivers to reduce speed to "safe" and, if possible, immediately turn off the service alley. After the cancellation hazard training is usually resumes. If the race happens in different ways. Sometimes, when the end of the regular distance of only a very small number of laps (this is determined by separate regulations of the various racing series), the race shall be completed and the winner is the player who led before displaying the red flag. However, in most cases, the appeal of danger, the race is resumed, and the time that he shared the drivers before the red flag added to the final results



BLUE FLAG

Blue Flag is a very common, if not the most commonly used flag in the races (except the so-called. Sprints, where drivers have to drive a small number of laps). Waving a slower driver when approaching him, a driver who is at a higher position (ie, with almost lap advantage). This flag is intended to inform a slower rider to slow down the place faster. Sometimes in the heat of battle the driver may not notice that a player is behind him is not his direct rival and hinder maneuver duplication. Red flag on this is to remind him of just such a situation. Shown to one player in one situation may lead to several warnings for dangerous driving or penalty on the player.



YELLOW FLAG with red stripes

This is another flag informing about the kind of danger. Displayed inform drivers about the possible change / deteriorated grip track to the next section. Usually this means the spilled oil or other liquid, usually with another car which has to some defect. Sometimes, however, especially on long tracks, that in different parts of the track different weather conditions prevail. There were even a situation where within a few minutes on one side of the track the rain fell, and another sun shone still. This resulted in accidents, of course, current rules require the use of this flag when any significant change of grip, so that the driver knew he must be careful in the next section of track.



WHITE FLAG

This flag usually means that the track is a slow moving vehicle. This may be a service vehicle maintenance track (roadside assistance, ambulance), or any of the players, for example, a defect which prevents the vehicle to continue driving, and he tries in some way to go to the service boxes. This flag should be shown to other players is always enough time before the place where he is now slowly driving the vehicle that he had sufficient time to exercise caution. In some racing series (eg, American NASCAR) is the flag waving every driver commencing the last lap of the race.



BLACK-WHITE FLAG

This flag is displayed at the point of start / finish is always the player with the start number. It means "warning for dangerous driving or sports." At international competitions or events at a high level, rather not see, because usually the driver of such a situation is informed by radio. Today, judges are unlikely to warn the driver if his behavior on the track is not correct. Typically, once it is applied to the penalty (Thrught Drive, Stop & Go). However, in the Polish Championship Car Racing, we can still meet with this flag.



BLACK FLAG

This flag means the maximum penalty for the driver, or disqualification. Like the black-white flag is displayed only AFTER the start / finish and of course also with the number of starting player. After that message, the player must leave the track as soon as the exit to the pits.



FLAG BLACK WITH ORANGE WHEEL

This flag is another that we can see the start / finish straight. Displayed the player with start number that a player has at the earliest opportunity to pit because of technical defects. Usually we see her touring car racing, where sometimes in the throes of a very hot battle cars "lost" parts. It happened that nothing conscious driver pulled his car bumper, while making some kind of threat. Another example would be one of the Volkswagen Racing Cup on the first lap when during one of the rounds in Kielce, a player who could see behind your rear bumper had jammed the front bumper of the car of another competitor. It is in such cases the use of this flag - to give the player to understand that something is wrong and that it should immediately return to the pits.