A yellow flag in Formula 1 signals a hazard on or near the track — such as a car stopped on the circuit, debris, or a recovery vehicle. Drivers must slow down, be prepared to stop if necessary, and are strictly forbidden from overtaking while yellow flags are displayed. A single yellow flag warns of a hazard in that sector; double waved yellows indicate a more serious danger and require drivers to be prepared to stop immediately. Failure to respect yellow flags results in time penalties or grid drops.
Example: Double yellows are waving in sector two — there’s a car stuck in the gravel and a recovery vehicle on track.
A yellow flag requires drivers to slow down and not overtake, but it does not stop the race — a red flag is required for that.
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