The Australian finished behind winner Lewis Hamilton and the second-placed Nico Rosberg.  

 Relations between the two leading drivers in Formula One have intensified after Hamilton moved to the top of the leaderboard with Sunday’s win.   

Hamilton was asked about the qualifying where Rosberg appeared to disobey the double yellow flag rule which requires drivers to reduce speed significantly, not overtake, and be prepared to change direction or stop.

Hamilton asked for clarification of the rule following qualifying with Rosberg was called before the stewards.

Hamilton was asked his thoughts on the incident and that’s when things got interesting.

“Well the stewards needs to come up with some kind of solution because it is — the whole 23 years of racing, it has been ‘if it’s yellow flag, you slow down’ and if it’s double yellow flag, you be prepared to stop and Nico was doing the same speed at the apex as I was doing on the previous timed lap,” Hamilton said.

Rosberg made a swift response while awkwardly patting Hamilton on the back.

“Thank you for making that statement,” Rosberg said.  

“So now I’m going to put my response. What you have to do with a double yellow is significantly reduce your speed and make sure you go safe. I went 20km/h slower into that corner, 20km/h is a different world in an F1 car. 20km/h, you are going proper slow. It’s completely ... everything is safe. That’s how I did my speed and lifted off thirty meters before my braking point, so I was just rolling there, 20km/h slower until I got to the apex. Then of course when you’re in the apex, I would have a much tighter line because I went in slow and then so I could accelerate out again."

Ricciardo was drawn into the squabble when asked for his thoughts on the issue with the Australian appearing to support Hamilton.

“It’s something which we’ve actually been wanting to probably discuss further for a long time or quantify because a single yellow, people are getting away with a micro lift and showing the stewards that look, I slowed down where you’re not really. But a double yellow is a significant,” he said.