[Rtrorkt]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

Red Bull have now protested that last restart after VSC. Russell was not sandbagging as it appeared to all of us, Checo had resumed race pace prior to the light on his steering wheel going out to indicate he could do that. As a result, his sector time would have been too fast, and he would have been penalized, so he had to slow way, way down and wait for his light to go off.

Red Bull's protest is that the Sporting Regulations specify a precise time from declaration of the end of the VSC period to the resumption of racing. Checo resumed race pace at that time, not waiting for the light, which he either assumed was malfunctioning or possibly didn't even see. He then slowed, trying to avoid a penalty. Essentially, the doofus with his thumb on the button for the light - either an FIA or more likely a local race control official - cost him, and Red Bull, the position. Nothing the least bit "savvy" in any way about what Russell did. It was handed to him.

This is rich after Abu Dhabi last year.