Whiting defends FIA jump start system

Charlie Whiting says there is nothing wrong with F1’s jump start system.

Video evidence showed Valtteri Bottas’ front wheels were moving before the five lights went out in Austria, and Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo were convinced that the Mercedes driver indeed jumped the start.

But F1 steward Mika Salo said there is some tolerance in the system, explaining to the Finnish press that the decision to not penalise Bottas was based solely on "the data".

"If it had been a jump start, the sensor would have gone off. But it did not, so it’s pointless to discuss it," said Mercedes team chairman Niki Lauda.

F1 race director Charlie Whiting also defended the FIA’s system.

"We have been using it for 20 years and it has not failed a single time in either direction," he told Auto Motor und Sport.