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F1 drivers to get "pre-warning" when being lapped

The FIA has tweaked the blue flag procedures from this weekend's United States Grand Prix following complaints from drivers in recent races.

Esteban Gutierrez, Haas F1 Team VF-16

Esteban Gutierrez, Haas F1 Team VF-16

XPB Images

A "pre-warning" has been introduced when a car behind is within three seconds, and teams are obliged to warn their drivers that they are about to be lapped, and that letting the car through is a priority.

Blue flags, blue cockpit lights and messages on the screen will follow when the faster car is within a second, and the driver ahead must let it through at the first opportunity.

A note sent from Charlie Whiting to the teams explained the new procedures as follows: "Article 27.9 of the Sporting Regulations requires drivers who are caught by another car about to lap him to allow the faster driver past at the first available opportunity.

"The F1 Marshalling System has been developed in order to ensure that the point at which a driver is shown blue flags is consistent, rather than trusting the ability of marshals to identify situations that require blue flags.

"Whilst this has been largely successful the way in which teams and drivers use the system seems to have become inconsistent.

"From now onwards the system will be set to give a pre-warning when the faster car is within 3.0s of the car about to be lapped, this should be used by the team of the slower car to warn their driver he is soon going to be lapped and that allowing the faster car through should be considered a priority.

"When the faster car is within 1.0s of the car about to be lapped blue flags will be shown to the slower car (in addition to blue cockpit lights and a message on the timing monitors) and the driver must allow the following driver to overtake at the first available opportunity.

"It should be noted that the aim of using F1MS is ensure consistent application of the rules, additional instructions may also be given by race control when necessary."

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