Red Light

A red light in motorsport is a visual warning signal that indicates either a penalty for starting too early or alerts drivers to safety hazards on the track.

In drag racing, getting a red light is one of the worst things that can happen to a driver. This penalty occurs when a racer leaves the starting line before the green "go" signal appears. The starting system, called a Christmas Tree, has electronic sensors that detect if a car moves too soon and immediately lights up a red bulb on that driver's side.

When a drag racer triggers a red light, they're automatically disqualified from that race, even if they cross the finish line first. This makes timing crucial - drivers want to react as quickly as possible to the green light without jumping the gun. Professional drag racers practice getting their reaction time as close to perfect as possible, sometimes within thousandths of a second.

In Formula 1 and other open-wheel racing series, red lights serve different purposes. Cars have red lights mounted on their rear that turn on during heavy rain or low visibility conditions. These lights help drivers behind see where other cars are when it's hard to see through spray or fog.

Formula 1 also uses red lights at race starts, but in a different way than drag racing. Five red lights turn on one by one above the starting grid, then all go out at once to signal the race start. If drivers move before the lights go out, they receive penalties.

Red lights can also appear at pit lane exits when it's unsafe for cars to join the track, such as during caution periods. In endurance racing and other motorsport categories, red lights or red flags typically mean all cars must slow down or stop due to dangerous conditions on track.