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While there is a separate debate raging about whether or not standing restarts are a good idea at all after the late-race chaos in Melbourne, another problem emerged earlier in the event.
With the first red flag having been triggered by Alex Albon’s crash on lap seven, the go-ahead for a standing restart was given by race control.
The rules require the safety car to lead the cars around in formation for the restart, before peeling into the pits.
But this time the situation nearly triggered a big accident as race leader Lewis Hamilton had slowed the formation lap pace at the front while cars catching up from the back closed in on the pack at high speed.
This had been caused by George Russell being slow away in leaving the pitlane, so was running quickly to close down the deficit.
When he slowed after joining the back of the train, others behind him were caught out, wit …