At a glance
- During a MotoGP race, riders must slow down, proceed cautiously and avoid overtaking under yellow signals until the point where green is waved or displayed.
- If a rider realises immediately after overtaking that they committed an infringement, they must intentionally let every rider they overtook pass back. In that case, no penalty is imposed.
- Single and double yellows identify the incident’s location: beside the track or wholly or partly blocking it. They do not classify its severity.
- During practice and warm-up, passing a yellow flag or signal causes the rider’s lap time to be cancelled, whether or not they overtake.
MotoGP’s yellow flag overtaking rules prohibit passing during a race through the yellow-controlled area until the point where a green flag is waved or displayed. Riders must also slow down and proceed with caution. These requirements come from the FIM Grand Prix World Championship Regulations, 2026 edition, updated 13 September 2026.
Simply passing the incident does not end the ban: riders must reach the green-signal point.
What riders must do after an illegal pass
An overtake under yellow results in a penalty, with a specific exception. If the rider realises immediately after making the pass that they committed an infringement, they must deliberately allow every rider they overtook to pass them back. When those conditions are met, no penalty will be imposed.
The yellow-flag rule specifies no fixed penalty type or duration for an illegal pass.
Related posts
Single and double yellows require the same caution
A single yellow indicates danger ahead beside the track. Two yellows shown together indicate a hazard wholly or partly blocking the track. The 2026 FIM regulations distinguish incident location rather than degree of danger, while requiring riders to slow down and proceed cautiously in either case.
| Signal | Meaning | What it requires during a race |
|---|---|---|
| Single yellow | Danger ahead beside the track | Slow down, proceed cautiously and do not overtake until the green-signal point. |
| Double yellow | A hazard wholly or partly blocks the track | The same caution and overtaking restrictions apply. |
| Green after the incident | The track is clear | The yellow-related overtaking ban ends at the point where green is shown. |
Source: 2026 FIM Grand Prix regulations, update 13 September.
Flags and trackside light panels are both official signals that riders must obey.
Lap cancellation and race penalty instructions
During practice and warm-up, a rider who passes a yellow flag or signal has that lap time cancelled. This consequence depends on passing the signal, not on overtaking another rider.
During a race, penalties are officially communicated to the rider through dashboard signals and to the team through timekeeping and television monitors. The team may additionally show a physical signboard.
The penalty compliance lap count begins at the rider’s first finish-line crossing after the dashboard message has been sent. Failure to comply within the required distance or number of laps brings further penalties.
Yellow signals also affect an existing Long Lap penalty. A rider must not serve it while yellows cover the penalty area. If those signals make the area unusable, extra laps are added to the compliance allowance. See when riders must wait to serve a Long Lap penalty.
Image credit: Wrong Apex editorial graphics · Original editorial illustration · Modifications: Rendered from original graphic elements; resized and compressed to WebP. · Image source
