HPDE Flag Guide
Know the Flags Before You Roll Out
Flags are how our corner workers and starter talk to you while you're on track. Each flag has one specific meaning at every Track Day Xperience event, and each calls for a specific response from you. Learning them is the best first step for anyone new to High Performance Driver Education (HPDE). Memorize this guide before your next event, so that every reaction is automatic and every session stays safe and fun.
Quick Reference
Flag by Flag
Green Flag
A solid green flag, shown at the start/finish line.
The session is underway, the track is clear, and passing is permitted. The green flag is also shown to resume the session after another flag has been displayed.
Drive at your normal pace. If a staffed corner station is showing no flag at all, treat it as green.
Yellow Flag
A solid yellow flag, either held still or waved.
- Standing yellow (held still, arms outstretched): no passing. You'll see it on the warm-up lap and when there is a problem ahead.
- Waving yellow: there is a hazard on or near the track ahead.
Under a standing yellow, hold your position and don't pass. Under a waving yellow, slow down, stay alert, be prepared to take avoiding action or stop, and don't pass. Return to normal pace and passing only after you have cleared the incident.
Blue Flag With a Yellow Diagonal Stripe
A blue flag with a diagonal yellow stripe.
A faster car is behind you and needs to get by. It's shown when a car is following closely and when one is closing quickly from farther back.
Check your mirrors, hold a predictable line, and give the following car a clear point-by hand signal so it can pass.
Debris Flag (Yellow With Red Vertical Stripes)
A yellow flag with red vertical stripes.
There is something hazardous on the racing surface ahead: lost car parts, overturned cones, an animal on track, or fluid that can reduce grip.
Use caution, scan the track ahead, and be ready for reduced grip or an object in your path.
Black Flag
A solid black flag.
Something is wrong with your car or the way you're driving.
Acknowledge the flag, pit in, and report to the event organizer or track staff to discuss why you were flagged. Ignoring a black flag will result in removal from the event.
Mechanical Flag ("Meatball")
A black flag with an orange circle in the center.
Your car has a mechanical problem, anything from a loose or missing part to a serious fluid leak.
Slow down and pit in. If you suspect a fluid leak, move off the racing line so you don't lay down a slippery hazard for other drivers.
Red Flag
A solid red flag.
There is an emergency, and the session is stopped.
Check your mirrors and come to a safe, controlled stop as quickly as possible, toward the inside of the track and within view of a corner worker. Avoid stopping in a blind corner or just over a crest, so the track stays clear for emergency responders. Stay in your car with your belts fastened unless there is a fire or a worker directs you otherwise, and wait for instructions from the corner worker.
White Flag
A solid white flag. A white flag with a red cross indicates an emergency vehicle.
A slow-moving vehicle is on track ahead. With a red cross, that vehicle is an emergency vehicle such as an ambulance, fire truck or safety vehicle.
Expect to come up on a much slower vehicle, and give it plenty of room. Approach an emergency vehicle with extra caution, as crews may be working nearby.
Checkered Flag
A black-and-white checkered flag at the start/finish line.
The session is over.
Begin your cool-down lap and head for the pits. Passing is not allowed on the cool-down lap. Keep up a reasonable pace, as other drivers are waiting for their turn on track.
Passing and Point-Bys
- Passing is allowed only under green-flag conditions.
- No passing under a standing or waving yellow, or on the cool-down lap after the checkered flag.
- When the blue flag is shown, or you see a faster car in your mirrors, give a clear point-by so it can pass.
