Edit:
After not noticing until this race and being informed in the comments, I decided to find out what's behind this phenomenon.
Here's an article about it.
I also wanted to know when those double chequered flags started, so I had a look at both 2025 and 2024 race finishes, and as far as I could determine, the first time this occurred was at Abu Dhabi 2024. Every other race in 2024 looked to only have the official flag.
12 Comments
lazycouchpotato@lemmy.world · 26 pts · 273d
One is the official flag waver, the other is usually some celebrity.
I'd assume drivers would want a proper flag wave than whatever the hell this was:
Microw@piefed.zip · 7 pts · 273d
Oh wow, I never knew this. But of course, it makes sense that a) the FIA would not allow a celeb to actually end the race and b) that FOM would sell that if they could
SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 272d
Well in the past it used to be one flag and they did let celebs wave it. In 2018 during the Canadian GP Winnie Harlow waved the checkered flag a lap too early and thus the race had to end a lap earlier. It wasn’t her fault though, she was instructed to wave it. Guess they don’t trust the stewards anymore to not be distracted by the presence of a celeb. I mean I would if I was standing next to Ana de Armas
hydrashok@sh.itjust.works · 17 pts · 273d
There’s always two. One is the official FIA flag (the top one outside race control), and the other is the celebrity-waved one that they sell the squares on.
EDIT: For example, here’s Brazil this year:
flabbergast@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 273d
Seems like you're right!
I just looked up some previous finishes, and indeed also two flags! It just never registered with me until now. Thanks!
anarcho_vroom@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 8 pts · 273d
Going from memory, but...
I think one is official and one is ceremonial and has names on it with people and orgs that sponsored the race.
Mannivu@feddit.it · 2 pts · 273d
Maybe one for the drivers and one for the cameras? I see that the top one has a big FIA logo on it, but I don't know if that matters.
Thinking about it, I remember that the official weaver was actress Ana De Armas and maybe UAE wouldn't like a woman doing something (it's an Islamic country after all).
flabbergast@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 273d
Top one seems to me like MBS himself! He also came into the cool down area to weirdly grab Norris' hair!
SkunkWorkz@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 272d
It was always two flags for the last couple of seasons.
GeneralEmergency@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 273d
Hold on. Do they not do the double waved checkers for the final anymore? Or have I Mandela'd myself?
Sadbutdru@sopuli.xyz · -1 pts · 273d
itsathursday@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 273d
Double waved rainbows is pretty cut and dry, you have been investigated by the stewards and found to be fabulous.