they used to back in the 80’s. just wondering why they stopped doing so in motor racing?

been watching motors tv a bit recently.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_regulations#Race_procedure

Because green means something else (do a formation lap)

ah thanks 🙂

They do. 😈

IIRC there was confusion at a F1 race where a driver was deemed to have jumped the start as he went when the red lights went out (which was a split second before the green lights came on).
Shortly afterwards the start procedure was changed to ditch the two sets of lights and use the red lights only.

Dave is sort of right. The drivers acknowledged back in the 90s that they only looked at the red lights going off rather than the green lights coming on after a spate of false starts. After investigating to see if it was bullshit, the FIA removed the green lights for the starting procedure and had them only for the formation lap.

IIRC there was confusion at a F1 race where a driver was deemed to have jumped the start as he went when the red lights went out (which was a split second before the green lights came on).
Shortly afterwards the start procedure was changed to ditch the two sets of lights and use the red lights only.

This.

Same thing at club level racing. To start the formation lap (if we have one) the green flag is waved from the pit wall. Race start is the gantry red lights going out (or the Union Jack being waved in the case of Gantry lights failure.)