Code 60

Code 60 is a safety procedure in motorsport where drivers must slow down to 60 kilometers per hour (about 37 miles per hour) in specific sections of a racetrack where an incident has occurred, without overtaking other cars.

Think of Code 60 as a temporary speed limit for racers. When something goes wrong on part of the track—like a car spinning out or debris on the racing surface—race officials need a way to slow drivers down so track workers can safely clean up the problem. Instead of slowing down the entire race with a safety car (a special vehicle that leads all the cars at a reduced speed), Code 60 only affects the dangerous section of track.

When a Code 60 is activated, drivers see warning signals as they approach the affected area. They'll first see a single yellow flag being waved, which tells them danger is ahead. Then they'll see double yellow flags at the next marshal post, where they must slow to 120 kilometers per hour. Finally, they'll see a pink Code 60 board along with purple warning lights, signaling that they must reduce their speed to exactly 60 km/h.

The beauty of this system is that it keeps racing competitive. While drivers crawl through the slow zone at 60 km/h, they maintain their positions and the gaps between them stay roughly the same. Once they pass through the danger area and see green flags again, they can return to racing speed. Meanwhile, other parts of the track remain at full racing speed, so the competition continues elsewhere.

Code 60 was invented in the late 2000s by Huub Vermuelen and the Dutch National Racing Team. It first appeared at the Dubai 24 Hour race and proved so effective that it's now used regularly in endurance racing series, particularly the 24H Series organized by Creventic. The famous Nürburgring circuit in Germany also relies heavily on this procedure because the track is so long—over 15 miles in its full configuration—that using a traditional safety car would be impractical.

In 2016, Motorsport UK (the governing body for British motorsport) adopted Code 60 for domestic club racing, making it a standard safety feature at racing events across the country. Modern systems often include electronic monitoring that automatically detects if a driver is going too fast through a Code 60 zone, ensuring compliance and safety.

While some fans feel that Code 60 periods are less exciting than traditional safety car periods—which bunch all the cars together and create dramatic restarts—the procedure prioritizes safety for track workers while keeping the race fair for competitors. It represents a smart middle ground between letting racing continue at full speed everywhere and bringing the entire field to a crawl.