There was no infringement, just ambiguity in the way the information came up on the timing screen leading to commentator confusion.
The events:
- Max bins it.
- Single yellow flags and lights deployed. Inder these, drivers must show they have lifted in the sector.
- Kimi is immediately behind Max, is passing the light stand when it activates, and is looking in the opposite direction to the corner apex. He mistakenly reads it as a double yellow and aborts his lap.
- George arrives, correctly reads the single yellow, lifts, and passes the yellow sector.
- As he has pole through yellow, he is investigated as is routine. This is relayed to the timing screen.
- The Single yellow is escalated to double yellow.
- Kimi and George are on their in lap at this time. Their in lap time is deleted. The timing screen only mentions they have laps deleted without specific clarification.
- TV now has the information George is under investigation, that double yellow is in effect, and that George has a lap deleted. That these are not relating to the same lap is not part of the info TV gets. Needless confusion takes root, conspiracy theories abound, and the FIA cocks up yet another weekend.
This and Monaco show the system is not fit for F1.