The element that added chaos to the AUS GP start

An already complex race start, given all the challenges that the new PU thrown at the drivers on the starting grid, became even more complicated because of the lights’ sequence.

One of the fastest “Lights out” ever

Less than 1 tenth of a second. This was the time between the illumination of the 5th red light and the shutdown of it and the other 4 lights to give the go to the race. 
Our memory doesn’t remember an equal lighting sequence at the start. The eye of most of the watchers didn’t even see the 5th light coming on and also more than one driver must have been caught off guard as the reaction times were not all as lighting as always.

What do the rules say?

The doubt that this might have been and error by the race starter is legitimate because it seemed very weird compared to a normal race start. However we dived into the FIA sporting regulations and, at the Article B5.7.2, we found out that no mistake was made. 
In fact the rule states that “The time interval between the illumination of the fifth light and all the lights being extinguished, to signal the start of the TTCS, is at the sole discretion of the permanent starter.”

So when all the five lights are on the start time is subject to the decision of the starter who can go from a couple of tenths to multiple seconds.

Best and worst starters

Like said above, not all of the drivers had a good reaction time. Even Leclerc who was leading the race at the exit of the first chicane didn’t react well. His good launch afterwards thanks to the Ferrari’s superiority in race starts was the ingredient that compensated and overcame the bad reaction.

Antonelli had a poor getaway form his spot and slipped behind forced to make progress in the early stages of the race.

The quickest to react was Hadjar who fly off the block but then found himself boxed before and after turn 1 and wasn’t able to make much progress like Leclerc.

Will this be a trend?