Do riders get radio messages like in Formula 1?

No, team-to-rider radio is not allowed in MotoGP. Riders rely on pit boards shown on the main straight, dashboard messages from Race Direction, and the trackside flag system for information.

What's the difference between the two wet weather flags?

The white flag with a red cross warns of rain in a specific section of the circuit. The plain white flag declares the entire race 'flag-to-flag', permitting riders to enter the pits and switch to their spare bike fitted with rain tyres.

What happens if a rider ignores a flag?

They are penalised. Overtaking under a yellow flag can cost anything from a dropped position to a Long Lap Penalty, and ignoring blue flags is penalised too. The black flag is itself a penalty: it disqualifies the rider, who must come into the pits at the end of the lap.

Trained trackside officials, known as marshals, are positioned at posts all around the circuit. They are responsible for waving the flags to communicate with riders and are often the first to respond to an incident.

MotoGP Flags Explained

Learn what each flag in MotoGP signals to riders, from the chequered flag marking the end of a race to the red flag that brings everything to an immediate halt.

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When a MotoGP bike is screaming past at over 200 miles per hour, shouting instructions at the rider is not an option, and unlike Formula 1, MotoGP has no team radio. Instead, officials use a simple, silent language that every rider understands instantly: coloured flags.

Marshals wave them from posts all around the circuit, from the first lap of to the last lap of the Grand Prix. Flags keep riders safe, warn them about what’s on the track ahead and, when needed, deliver a message to just one rider.

What are the most common flags?

Six flags do most of the work on a race weekend. Tap any of them to see what it means and what the rider must do.

Interactive · Tap a flag

The flags you’ll see most

Green

Means: The track is clear.
Rider must: Race on normally. It is waved at every marshal post on the first lap of practice and Warm Up, and straight after an incident to show the danger has passed.

Chequered

Means: The race or session is over.
Rider must: Slow down and ride back to the pits. It is shown to every rider as they cross the line, not just the winner.

Red

Means: The race or session is being stopped, usually for safety.
Rider must: Stop racing and ride slowly back to the pit lane. Red lights around the track mean the same.

Yellow (one flag)

Means: Danger beside the track ahead — a crashed bike in the gravel, for example.
Rider must: Slow down and ride with caution. No overtaking until the green flag.
If ignored: Overtaking under yellow is penalised — anything from dropping a position to a Long Lap penalty.

Double yellow

Means: A hazard is blocking all or part of the track itself.
Rider must: Slow right down and be ready to stop. No overtaking until the green flag.
If ignored: Overtaking under yellow is penalised — anything from dropping a position to a Long Lap penalty.

Blue

Means: A faster rider is right behind you.
Rider must: In a race: you are about to be lapped — let the leaders through at the first safe chance. In practice: let the faster rider pass.
If ignored: Ignoring blue flags is penalised.

Yellow and green work as a pair. A marks a hazard, usually a crashed bike, and from that point nobody may overtake. Two yellows waved together mean the track itself is partly or fully blocked, so riders must be ready to stop. Just past the incident, a green flag tells them the danger is behind them and racing can resume. Pass someone in between and Race Direction will penalise it, with anything from dropping a position to a .

What happens when the red flag comes out?

The is the most serious signal in the sport. It stops the session, usually after a big crash, a blocked track or weather too dangerous to race in, and red lights come on around the circuit at the same time. Riders must stop racing and ride slowly back to the . Depending on how much of the race has been run, Race Direction can restart it, sometimes over a shorter distance, or declare the result.

Which flags are rarer?

The other five are seen less often. Two warn about grip, one lets riders change bikes when rain arrives, and two are shown to a single rider alongside their race number.

Interactive · Tap a flag

The rarer flags

Less often seen, but worth knowing.

White

Means: The race is now run under “flag-to-flag” rules.
Rider must: Riders may come into the pits and swap to their second bike — usually because rain has arrived and the spare is on wet tyres.

Yellow & red stripes

Means: Grip on this part of the track may be poor for a reason other than rain — oil, gravel, grass or debris.
Rider must: Ride carefully through that section; the surface may be slippery.

White with red cross

Means: Rain is falling on this section of the track.
Rider must: Expect a wet, slippery surface ahead and adjust — especially on slick (treadless) tyres.

Black with orange disc

Means: Shown with a rider’s number: their bike has a mechanical problem that could endanger them or others.
Rider must: Leave the track immediately. They can only rejoin with permission.

Black

Means: Shown with a rider’s number: that rider is disqualified.
Rider must: Come into the pits at the end of the current lap. They cannot restart.

Also worth knowing

A yellow flag on the starting grid means the start is delayed (all rows) or a rider is in trouble (one row).
The chequered and blue flags are shown together when a rider being lapped crosses the line just ahead of the leader on the final lap.
Penalties are shown to riders on their dashboard and on boards at the start/finish line — MotoGP has no team radio.

The can turn a race upside down. If rain arrives after a dry start, it puts the race under “” rules: riders may come into the pits and swap to their second bike, usually fitted with . Pit too early and you’re on wet tyres on a drying track; leave it too late and you’re sliding around on (treadless dry tyres). That gamble is why flag-to-flag races are often the most unpredictable of the season.

How well do you know your flags?

Five random flags, four possible meanings each. Every answer is in the sections above.

Interactive · Quiz

Test yourself

The quiz needs JavaScript. Every answer is in the two sections above.

Quick Takeaways

MotoGP has no team radio, so flags, dashboard messages and are how riders get information during a session.
Yellow means danger and no overtaking until the green flag; red stops the session for everyone.
Blue tells a rider to let a faster one through; black disqualifies a rider.
The white flag starts a flag-to-flag race, letting riders swap to their second bike when rain arrives.