FIA intervenes: no more orange smoke and flares at Verstappen's home races

It sometimes makes for spectacular images, but it also brings dangers: flares and smoke bombs during Formula 1 races. They are already banned at several circuits, but the FIA has now included an explicit ban in the code of conduct of the regulations.

It used to be red smoke, particularly during the Italian Grand Prix due to the red flares of the Tifosi, who turned up en masse to cheer on Ferrari during the Scuderia's dominant period with Michael Schumacher.

These days, the smoke is orange and meant for Max Verstappen. During the F1 races that attract large crowds of fans of the Red Bull Racing driver, such as the GP of the Netherlands, Belgium and Austria, the circuits have been shrouded in orange fog on several occasions.

However, this also created dangerous situations - not only was visibility poor for the drivers at the start and finish of the race, but some decided to throw a flare onto the track. This resulted in the organisers of the Zandvoort and Spa-Francorchamps races to no longer allowing these products.

From 2024, the FIA will include a total ban on 'pyrotechnic products' in the International Sporting Code. This means "any device containing exothermic substances or an exothermic mixture of substances designed to produce a calorific, luminous, sound, gas or smoke effect, or a combination of these effects, including but not limited to flares, smoke bombs and fireworks."