George Russell and his Mercedes team were accused of "trying to make headlines" in response to his theory that Red Bull might be deliberately hiding their true race pace.
The RB19s are clearly the dominant cars on the grid and Red Bull have taken full advantage to win all three races so far this season. But the margins of victory haven't necessarily been as significant as might be expected when there is such a clear performance gap.
That led to the accusation from Russell that Red Bull might be sandbagging to avoid the FIA getting involved in a bid to make the title race more competitive. "For sure they're holding back," Russell told the BBC Chequered Flag podcast after last weekend's race in Melbourne.
