Daniel Ricciardo felt Valtteri Bottas was lucky to get away with what he felt was a jump start in the Austrian Grand Prix, with the Australian feeling the Finn did not react to the lights going out but seemed to anticipate it happening.
The Red Bull Racing driver was heard over the radio early during the Austrian Grand Prix that he felt the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One Team racer had jumped the start, but after deliberation in the stewards room, no action was deemed necessary, with Bottas’ reaction time to the lights being within the tolerance allowed by the FIA.
Ricciardo eventually finished the race third at the Red Bull Ring for his fifth consecutive visit to the podium, but he reckons that Bottas was extremely fortunate not to take a penalty what an unnatural reaction to the start.
“The main this it was positive, but the lights were held for a long time, more than normal,” said Ricciardo. “There is always a window, but it seemed longer and you are waiting, waiting and he went but the lights went out – I guess he got lucky.
“I did it in F3 once, and it was on the edge, you react but at the same point the lights went out. In theory, that it is not a natural reaction.
“But I don’t believe he reacted to the lights. I said it looked like Valtteri jumped – he didn’t jump because it was positive – but for sure he got a bit lucky.”
