

When Formula 1 drivers are out on track and in the heat of battle, the visual aid of a flag is vital, its design making a situation clear, whether it be making an order to a driver, giving a warning of a hazard, letting them know the condition of the track or informing of the status of the session which they are competing in. These goof-ups provide us with a good enough explanations as to why fans aren’t allowed to wave the chequered flag at the end of a race or session.Formula 1 has a range of different flags which may appear during competition, all carrying their own specific meaning. On top of that, there have been several cases where the chequered flag was waved a lap or two too early, which confused all the drivers and teams. Who can forget Apple CEO Tim Cook waving the chequered flag in the most unenthusiastic way possible at the 2022 United States Grand Prix in Austin?Īt the 2002 Brazilian GP in Interlagos, football legend Pele forgot to wave the flag for Michael Schumacher, although it did not affect his P1 finish in any way. In several instances, we have seen celebrities mess up the finish of a race because they waved the flag incorrectly.

Waving the chequered flag seems like an easy job, but there has to be a proper amount of training a person has to go through before they are asked to carry this task out. However, in many cases, the organizers of some races call over a famous celebrity to bring in more eyeballs. In most cases, the person who waves the F1 chequered flag is a race official from the FIA. The person who is waving this flag has to make sure that he or she starts with the leading car and continues until the last car has crossed the finish line.Īlso read: George Russell Makes Rafael Nadal Comparison in Heavy Criticism of F1 Convention: “It Would Just Never Happen” Who waves the F1 chequered flag? During free practice and qualifying, the end of the session is official only after the chequered flag has been waved. However, this flag is not only shown at the end of a Grand Prix race. This is because, when a race is over, it is waved and it officially indicates that the drivers have scored points (or haven’t).

Although, do only celebrities and important figures wave this flag? Or do others get a shot at performing one of the most important activities during an F1 race weekend?Īlso read: Haas Politics Blamed for Exploiting Michael Schumacher Absence Amid Brutal Mick Schumacher Sacking What is a chequered flag?Ī chequered flag is made of small squares that are black and white in color but is the most significant flag for all drivers and teams. Often, we have seen some of the biggest celebrities in the world take the effort of waving this flag since it is considered to be an honor.
