The 1971 Canadian Grand Prix was the first Formula One race ever stopped by a red flag, setting a precedent for race direction procedures.
Key Facts
- Race date
- September 19, 1971
- Circuit
- Mosport Park
- Race winner
- Jackie Stewart
- Laps completed
- 64 of 80 scheduled
- Championship round
- Race 10 of 11
- Pre-race fatality
- Wayne Kelly, 37, killed in Formula Ford preliminary
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
A multi-car incident during the Formula Ford preliminary race at Turn 1 injured four marshals and competitors, requiring an ambulance on track. Shortly after, driver Wayne Kelly was killed when he struck the stationary ambulance. The incident delayed the Grand Prix by two hours, by which time rain and thick fog had descended on Mosport Park.
The 1971 Canadian Grand Prix started at 4:30 pm in wet, foggy conditions. Jackie Stewart led and won, but race officials halted the event after 64 of the scheduled 80 laps due to deteriorating weather. American driver Mark Donohue finished third on his Formula One debut. The stoppage marked the first use of the red flag in Formula One history.
The red-flagging of the 1971 Canadian Grand Prix established a formal mechanism for stopping Formula One races under dangerous conditions. This precedent became codified in the sport's regulations, and the red flag has since been used regularly to protect drivers and officials when track or weather conditions make continuation unsafe.