Ahead of the forthcoming racing season, clarification has been sought regarding the procedure for displaying the green signal following the withdrawal of the Safety Car. This topic has been discussed with Race Committee and, following those discussions, we have been asked to provide the following guidance via the Marshals’ Bulletin.
At race circuits equipped with light panels that provide full circuit coverage, the green signal will be displayed simultaneously and will be clearly visible to drivers around the circuit. In these circumstances, it is acceptable for the green lights to be extinguished before the completion of a full racing lap, provided that the green signal has been displayed for a minimum duration of 10 seconds.
Light panels are considered the primary and clearest means of displaying signals to drivers. As such, the use of flags is required only in the event of a light panel failure, where an additional signal is required to supplement that shown on the light panel, or where the spacing of panels means they cannot provide full coverage.
To ensure consistency and confidence in application, Race Control should make certain that the procedure to be followed is clearly explained during the marshals’ briefing.