List of Red-flagged Formula One Races: When F1 Comes to a Stop

Formula One is the pinnacle of open-wheeled motorsport, overseen by the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the sport’s global governing body. The “formula” in its name is not just a catchy phrase, but a rulebook that every team, car, and driver must obey. Each year, the Formula One World Championship unfolds across an increasing number of Grands Prix, usually hosted on custom-built circuits, though sometimes city streets are temporarily converted into tracks. The stakes? Two world titles. One for the drivers and another for the constructors who design and build the cars.

But sometimes, the action is interrupted by the red flag.

What Does the Red Flag Mean?

A red flag signals that the race must be stopped, either because of a crash or because conditions have become too dangerous to continue. Marshals stationed around the track wave the flag, and since 2007, drivers also see the alert flash up on a cockpit display thanks to a GPS marshalling system.

When the red flag is shown, the pit lane exit is immediately closed. Cars must carefully snake their way into the pit lane in order, with no overtaking allowed. Since 2005, a race stoppage typically comes with a ten-minute warning before action resumes. The restart is led by the safety car for a lap before it ducks back into the pits, and the racing resumes.

Before that rule change, things were a bit messier: the order was set back to the penultimate lap before the red flag was shown. If the race can’t be restarted, the results are frozen at the end of the lap just before the stoppage.

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Scoring also changes depending on how far the race has gone. If less than 75% of the distance is completed and the event can’t continue, only half points are awarded. Until 2015, no points were handed out if fewer than two laps were run before the stoppage. But from 2016, the rule was tweaked: no points if two laps or fewer have been completed.

Red Flags Through F1 History

Since the very first World Championship race back in 1950, the red flag has made 88 appearances in Formula One history, with the most recent coming at the 2024 São Paulo Grand Prix.

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Here’s how those stoppages break down:

• 26 races were restarted after being stopped on the opening lap.
• 13 races were never restarted at all – nine washed out by rain, and four abandoned after multi-car crashes.
• Five races ended in tragedy, their stoppages linked to fatal accidents.

The most infamous among them include:

• 1975 Spanish Grand Prix – stopped on lap 29 after Rolf Stommelen crashed, sending his car into a spectator area, killing five people.
• 1978 Italian Grand Prix – red-flagged after a huge opening-lap crash that ultimately led to the death of Ronnie Peterson a day later.
• 1982 Canadian Grand Prix – stopped when Riccardo Paletti was killed in a start-line accident, colliding with Didier Pironi in the Ferrari.
• 1994 San Marino Grand Prix – stopped following Ayrton Senna and his fatal crash at the Tamburello corner, one of the darkest days in F1 history.
• 2014 Japanese Grand Prix – red-flagged for the second time after Jules Bianchi collided with a recovery vehicle, injuries from which proved fatal.

And for the record books: the 2023 Australian Grand Prix holds the distinction of featuring the most red flags in a single event. Three in total.

Red-flagged Races

Table Key

N	Indicates the race was not restarted
Y	Indicates the race was restarted over the original distance
R	Indicates the race was resumed to complete the originally scheduled distance
S	Indicates the race was restarted or resumed with the originally scheduled distance not completed

Flags at the Heart of Formula One

Flags are much more than colourful markers in F1 — they are fundamental communication tools between race control and drivers. The system has evolved over decades, from simple waving flags at marshal stations to a highly organised flag code, including both physical signals and digital panel displays around circuits. Whether it’s a green flag signalling clear track, or a yellow-red striped flag warning of slippery conditions, each has a precise meaning that drivers must obey.

Check out our full guide F1 Flags: An Ultimate Guide To The Most Important F1 Flags for a comprehensive guide about Formula 1 flags, exploring their history, meanings, and on-track role.

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