P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 Explained: What is a blue flag?
“Blue flags are crucial in F1 races to signal to drivers that they are about to be overtaken by a faster car. When shown, the driver must allow the faster car to pass at the earliest opportunity to prevent holding up the race leader or other competitors.
The FIA’s marshalling system provides pre-warnings to alert the slower car that a faster car is approaching, with escalating signals and messages as the gap between the cars decreases.
Ignoring blue flags can result in penalties for drivers, including time penalties of five or 10 seconds, as seen in incidents involving Sergio Perez and Daniil Kvyat at the 2020 Spanish Grand Prix.
Overall, blue flags play a critical role in maintaining race order, fair competition, and safety on the track, ensuring that slower cars do not interfere with the progress of faster competitors during a race weekend.”
