Guides · Updated 30 September 2026 · Sources at the end
The short answer
A timing board shows position, the gap to the leader and each driver’s last and best laps; the interval is the time to the car in front. Pole is first on the grid; DNF means did not finish. Every term you’re likely to meet at a UK race is below, in plain English.
A to Z of race day
- Chequered flag
- The end of the race or session.
- Code 60
- A way to neutralise a race without a safety car: under the purple flag, everyone drives at 60 km/h with no overtaking.
- DNF
- Did not finish: the driver started but retired.
- DNS
- Did not start.
- Drive-through penalty
- The driver must drive down the pit lane at the speed limit without stopping, costing time.
- DSQ
- Disqualified from the result, for a technical or sporting breach.
- Fastest lap
- The quickest single lap anyone set in the session; some championships award a point for it.
- Formation lap
- A lap before the start to warm up and form up in grid order. Green flags show at every marshal post.
- Gap
- On a timing board, how far a driver is behind the leader (in practice and qualifying, behind the fastest lap).
- Grid
- The starting order. Most races set it from qualifying; some use reversed grids or the previous race's finishing order.
- Interval
- How far a driver is behind the car directly in front.
- Lapped
- Caught and passed by the leader, so a full lap down. Blue flags tell a lapped driver to let the leader by.
- Novice cross
- A black cross on a yellow background on the back of a new driver's car for their first races, so others know.
- Parc fermé
- A closed area where cars are held after qualifying or a race, and can't be worked on, so officials can check them.
- Pole position
- First place on the starting grid, usually earned by the fastest lap in qualifying.
- Red flag
- The session is stopped. Cars return slowly to the pits or grid.
- Safety car
- A car sent out to lead the field at reduced speed while an incident is cleared. No overtaking behind it.
- Scrutineering
- Official checks that a car or bike meets the safety and technical rules, before it's allowed on track.
- Stop-go penalty
- Like a drive-through, but the car must stop in a set place for a set time.
- Track limits
- The edges of the track. Under Motorsport UK circuit rules a driver has left the track if any wheel goes completely beyond the outer edge of a kerb, or the white line where there is no kerb; in qualifying that lap can be deleted, and in races repeat offences bring escalating penalties.
Put it to use
Every flag in detail is in racing flags explained, and how to follow a race live walks through a timing board column by column. Then open AllRace Live on a race weekend.
Questions
What is the difference between gap and interval?
Gap is the time behind the leader; interval is the time behind the car directly in front.
What does DNF mean in racing?
Did not finish: the driver started the race but retired before the end.
What is pole position?
First place on the starting grid, usually earned by setting the fastest lap in qualifying.