The chaos which broke out after the final standing restart during the Australian Grand Prix produced many winners and losers.
Three separate collisions removed four cars from proceedings and left others counting the cost of crashes they weren’t to blame for.
The carnage cut a swathe threw the field and elevated several drivers to the front. Nico Hulkenberg briefly looked on course for a podium finish.
But when the race director took the contentious decision to restore the original restart order he and several drivers were dismayed to find themselves relegated the rear again. Meanwhile drivers such as Sergio Perez and Lance Stroll avoided the repercussions of having gone off.
Here’s what they said to their teams about the controversial ending to Sunday’s race.
Max Verstappen
After the last standing restart race leader Max Verstappen was concerned by falling light levels at the track:
| Verstappen | What is the plan here? |
| Lambiase | Stand by, Max. |
| Verstappen | Also the visibility is really poor. I can barely see in front of me if somebody standing in the sun. |
| Lambiase | Yeah, roger. Okay Max, so just over three minutes. three minutes. |
| Verstappen | But what is the plan? |
| Lambiase | When I get an update I will relay that to you mate. We’ve had no update. |
Red Bull filled him in on the restart plan while he was out of the car. He led the field to the chequered flag behind the Safety Car, but expressed concern over how slowly it was lapped:
| Lambiase | Just over one minute. |
| Lambiase | Okay Max so plan is Safety Car will enter the pit lane at the end of this lap. You will then take the chequered flag. It’s a rolling start i.e. just take the chequered flag. There is no overtaking until the line. |
| Verstappen | We are not doing a racing lap, or? I still don’t understand. |
| Lambiase | Okay, so here it is plain and simple. The Safety Car’s going to peel in, you can accelerate full throttle exit turn 14, take the chequered flag and that’s the end of the race. There is no overtaking. |
| Verstappen | Ah okay, okay. |
| Lambiase | Mode three and recharge on. |
| Verstappen | The Safety Car’s turning the light off and still driving like 120. |
| Lambiase | Yep, roger that, Max. |
Lewis Hamilton
Drivers and teams were unsure whether there might be yet another standing restart. From second on the grid, Lewis Hamilton had failed to beat Verstappen to turn one (though would have lost the position anyway due to the decision to reset the grid) and consulted with his controls engineer Marcelo…
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