Black flag

The black flag disqualifies a driver, who must return to the pits immediately and take no further part in the session.

It is shown with the car's number and is the most severe sanction the stewards can apply during a session. Causes include ignoring repeated warnings, a car judged dangerous, or serious unsportsmanlike conduct.

It is genuinely rare in modern Formula 1 — most infringements are dealt with by time penalties applied during or after the race, which are more proportionate and do not remove a car from the show.