A parade lap, also known as a pace lap, formation lap or warm-up lap, is a lap before a

motorsport Motorsport, motorsports or motor sport is a global term used to encompass the group of competitive sporting events which primarily involve the use of motorized vehicles. The terminology can also be used to describe forms of competition of t ...

race begins, in which the drivers go around the track at a slow speed (usually between ), and, in some cases, behind the safety car.

Purpose

The lap is to ensure that track conditions are safe, and that there are no dangerous problems with the cars (including the safety car) or the circuit. The parade lap either leads to a rolling start, standing start, or back to the grid. Short circuits (such as the Brands Hatch Indy circuit layout) often have two of these laps. Overtaking is usually permitted on these laps in motorcycle racing, but not in car racing. The lap also allows the cars to warm up their tyres, which is crucial in order to be competitive during the race. Drivers will often attempt to warm up the tyres more quickly during the lap, by steering slowly from side to side, and may sometimes also warm their brakes.

Usage

Formula One Formula One (also known as Formula 1 or F1) is the highest class of international racing for open-wheel single-seater formula racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The World Drivers' Championship, ...

, the official title is ''formation lap''. Any car which fails to leave the grid before the last qualifier has moved away is required to start from either the pit lane or the back of the grid. In

MotoGP Grand Prix motorcycle racing is the premier class of motorcycle road racing events held on road circuits sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM). Independent motorcycle racing events have been held since the start ...

and the Superbike World Championship, it is known as the ''warm-up lap''. In

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...

, the parade lap is referenced as a ''pace lap,'' and safety car speed is the same as the pit lane speed limit.

Incidents

* 1999 Indianapolis 500, a collision on the formation lap eliminated three cars. *

1996 French Grand Prix The 1996 French Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held on 30 June 1996 at Circuit de Nevers, Magny-Cours, France. It was the ninth race of the 1996 Formula One season. Michael Schumacher qualified in pole position but his engine blew on the ...

the

Ferrari Ferrari S.p.A. (; ) is an Italian luxury sports car manufacturer based in Maranello, Italy. Founded by Enzo Ferrari (1898–1988) in 1939 from the Alfa Romeo racing division as ''Auto Avio Costruzioni'', the company built its first car in ...

pole position In a motorsports race, the pole position is usually the best and "statistically the most advantageous" starting position on the track. The pole position is usually earned by the driver with the best qualifying times in the trials before the rac ...

qualifier

Michael Schumacher Michael Schumacher (; ; born 3 January 1969) is a German former racing driver who competed in Formula One for Jordan, Benetton, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Schumacher has a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Lewis ...

stopped with an engine fault. * 1991 San Marino Grand Prix,

Alain Prost Alain Marie Pascal Prost (; born 24 February 1955) is a French retired racing driver and Formula One team owner. A four-time Formula One World Drivers' Champion, from 1987 until 2001 he held the record for most Grand Prix victories until Micha ...

and Gerhard Berger both went off the track in wet conditions; Berger re-joined and retook his grid position, but Prost stalled and was immediately out of the race. * 1998 Japanese Grand Touring Championship at

Fuji Speedway is a motorsport race track standing in the foothills of Mount Fuji, in Oyama, Suntō District, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. It was built in the early 1960s. In the 1980s, Fuji Speedway was used for the FIA World Sportscar Championship and na ...

, the Ferrari driven by Tetsuya Ota aquaplaned while braking during the parade lap and collided with another car, with both vehicles exploding into a fireball on impact. * 2009 Valencian MotoGP,

Ducati Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. () is the motorcycle-manufacturing division of Italian company Ducati, headquartered in Bologna, Italy. The company is directly owned by Italian automotive manufacturer Lamborghini, whose German parent company is Au ...

rider

Casey Stoner Casey Joel Stoner (born 16 October 1985) is an Australian retired professional motorcycle racer, and a two-time MotoGP World Champion, in and . During his MotoGP career, Stoner raced for the factory teams of Ducati and Honda, winning a ti ...

crashed at the second turn of the

Circuit Ricardo Tormo Circuit Ricardo Tormo, also known as ''Circuit de Valencia'' and officially named ''Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo'', is a motorsport race track located in Cheste (Valencian Community, Spain) and built in 1999. The track is n ...

and missed the race.

References

Motorsport terminology {{Motorsport-stub