Winnie Harlow was left red-faced after she accidentally waved the chequered flag a lap early at the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix, leading to F1 bosses scrambling for a solution

Winnie Harlow’s waving of the chequered flag caused controversy at the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix(Image: Sky Sports F1)

The Canadian Grand Prix continues to be a popular stop on the F1 calendar, with one particularly chaotic edition coming in 2018 when the chequered flag was waved prematurely. Last year it was Red Bull’s Max Verstappen who emerged victorious in an adrenaline-fuelled, rain-soaked race following a tense five-car showdown.

The current Formula One world champion secured a crucial lead as McLaren’s Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri battled with George Russell and Lewis Hamilton trailing behind. Post-race, Verstappen labelled the action “crazy”, while Norris described it as “chaos”.

However, this was a well-orchestrated affair compared to the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix, where model Winnie Harlow’s early wave of the chequered flag caused havoc on the track and left F1 bosses scrambling for a solution.

As F1 returns to Montreal, it’ll be hard to replicate the bedlam that unfolded seven years ago. Flag waving has been a tradition for many celebrities over the years, with David Beckham, Serena Williams and Spider-Man actor Tom Holland all having their moment in the spotlight.

Yet, no one has made quite the impression that America’s Next Top Model alumna, Winnie Harlow – a friend of Hamilton – did back in May 2018. At a memorable Formula 1 race, the Victoria’s Secret model unwittingly steered herself into the sport’s annals – but not as she might have anticipated.

Tasked with ending the 70-lap long haul, the 30-year-old, who was 28 at the time, was caught in a gargantuan gaffe when she unfurled the chequered flag prematurely on the 69th lap.

The fashion model caused chaos during the 2018 Canadian Grand Prix (Image: winnieharlow/Instagram)

She’s friends with Lewis Hamilton(Image: Getty Images)

This early display plunged Sebastian Vettel’s last lap into disarray at the Grand Prix, prompting the German driver to urgently radio his team, urging them to clarify the mishap while he powered through the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve to complete the race properly.

After the confusion, Harlow managed to wave the flag at the correct moment as Vettel sailed across the finish line, no doubt leaving F1 bosses biting their nails after the error. Rule 43.2 loomed over the event, highlighting the unintended power of an early flag to potentially decide the race’s outcome.

In a stroke of good luck, the racing order was preserved despite the flag faux pas, allowing all involved to exhale in collective relief. Reflecting on the nerve-wracking experience, Vettel admitted his post-race jitters: “Some of the marshals were already celebrating. I was just worried that people wouldn’t jump on the track and start celebrating. We’re still going at full pace.”

After the race, Harlow took to Instagram to explain the blunder to her followers, saying she was instructed to wave the chequered flag too soon. “WHEN THEY TELL YOU TO WAVE THE FLAG A LAP TOO EARLY! You had one job sir!!! Hahaha but so grateful everyone was safe today and no one got hurt from this,” she posted.

Harlow became the first model with vitiligo to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show(Image: Mike Marsland/WireImage)

The late Charlie Whiting, who was the FIA race director at the time, later absolved Harlow of blame, confirming that she was told to wave the flag prematurely and it wasn’t her fault.

He detailed that the mix-up happened due to a miscommunication with a local Montreal official, who asked if it was the final lap but was misunderstood as confirming it, leading to the early end-of-race signal.

Former F1 managing director Ross Brawn also came to Harlow’s defence, commenting: “Winnie simply followed the instructions she was given and I want to apologise for the grief she received and thank her for supporting Formula 1.”

Despite the mishap being a red-faced moment for F1, Harlow wasn’t the only celebrity to fumble the flag. At the 2002 Brazilian Grand Prix, football legend Pele was in the spotlight for missing Michael Schumacher’s finish when he waved the flag while looking the other way.