F1: Flag error shortens Chinese GP

A mistake with the checkered flag at the Chinese Grand Prix resulted in the distance of round four of the 2014 Formula 1 season being shortened.

Lewis Hamilton was shown the checkered flag at the end of lap 55 – one lap before it was supposed to have been displayed. F1's regulations state that if the checkered flag is shown early, then the race will be deemed to have finished the lap before.

Article 43.2 of F1's sporting regulations states: "Should for any reason the end-of-race signal be given before the leading car completes the scheduled number of laps, or the prescribed time has been completed, the race will be deemed to have finished when the leading car last crossed the line before the signal was given."

That means that the Chinese GP was declared to have finished on lap 54 of the 56 that actually ran.

Speaking about the incident, Hamilton said: "That was very strange. I was thinking, 'Am I seeing things?'

"I looked up, I was coming across the line expecting to do another lap and all of a sudden I looked for a split second and I saw the flag. I lifted for a second and I saw there was no one on the wall, so then I just kept going.

"I did lose a second or so. I asked the team, they said no, so I just kept going. Very, very strange. It was good to do another lap."

The changed distance did not alter any of the points-scoring positions but it did result in Caterham's Kamui Kobayashi being relegated to 18th, having pulled off a late move on Jules Bianchi's Marussia for 17th.