Formula 1 has always shown innovations to help keep drivers safe. The latest equipment to do so is the cooling kit, which will help drivers in extreme heat conditions. The last safety item put on an F1 car is the halo, which has helped save many drivers from serious injury.
To help with safety measures, all F1 cars are fitted with red lights behind them and on their rear wings. This alerts other drivers they are slowing down or makes the cars more visible during difficult conditions like rain.
Red light blinks to show an F1 car is slowing
In normal conditions, a car’s red light will be seen mainly in qualifying or practice sessions. When a driver is on a prep lap or cool-down lap, the red light will flash to let other drivers know they are driving slow. The light will blink two cycles per second.
The light will also flash when a driver is harvesting power, using the Energy Recovery System (ERS). This is so a driver can use power later on in the lap but they will be slower while the energy is harvested. The light also helps the driver behind to get a jump on the lead car.
The harvested energy goes into the electric motor of the hybrid engines of the car to provide a boost to the power.
Bit of a buzz this morning about Lewis’ #F1Testing light set-up…
We’re testing a new system for @F1 this morning 🚨
🤔 What do you think, #BestFans? pic.twitter.com/Q2fs3DSYxw
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) May 15, 2018
When a driver comes into the pit lane and the pit limiter is pressed, the light will begin flashing. These lights will also flash for the first ten seconds of a safety car. On rare occasions, the lights will flash green in a session. This indicates a rookie driver who does not yet have a full FIA Super License is at the wheel.
Red light during difficult weather conditions
The red lights are always seen when there is rain. This is to show other drivers that there is a car ahead of them. With a driver being so low in the cockpit of an F1 car, visibility is difficult with even light rain. Visibility is also hard due to the spray from the other cars ahead.
Out both drivers go for Q2 – no major rain expected during this session but there may be some light drizzle appearing 👀
Used Inter tyres for these first laps pic.twitter.com/SUrIw3UUJH
— Mercedes-AMG PETRONAS F1 Team (@MercedesAMGF1) July 27, 2024
These lights flash anytime intermediate or full wet tyres are put on the cars. They flash faster than in dry conditions, at four cycles per second. The lights have prevented severe accidents in the rain, especially in conditions like the 2024 Brazilian GP.