Red Bull disqualified for exceeding flow rate or disobeying FIA?

[vintly]

It's hard to fathom Red Bull's logic in doing what they've done. Even if they are certain about the fuel flow readings etc, ignoring the technical directive during the race is a bizarre way to start their 2014 campaign.

There are three ways it can go:

1. The FIA agrees with Red Bull and reinstates Ricciardo's P2. All hell breaks loose with the other teams, the whole race result is thrown into disrepute and the season is tainted from the first weekend. Unlikely but possible.

2. Red Bull's flow-rate figures are shown to be wrong. Unlikely.

3. The FIA doesn't agree or disagree with Red Bull's flow-rate figures, but rules against them because they ignored a technical directive, which although isn't law, should have been followed. This one could get messy, but it's the more likely of the three to me.

Either way, Red Bull's decision is a complete PR disaster, coming when their stock amongst fans has never been lower. If they'd followed the directive they would have made 3rd? 4th? Ok not so bad, first race of the season and all that. Worth losing a few points so as not to cause mayhem for the team and possibly everyone else, fans included.

Whichever way it goes they'll come out looking bad - fools.

[Scott]

So true.  I can't understand it either.  It's as if they were surprised that he would be DQ'd.  We all were, but we didn't have the luxury of hearing the race control to RBR communications during the race - and had we, perhaps we would have seen it coming.  Ignoring race control during a race is always going to go bad.  Lawyering up is just a waste of time.

[J.Clark]

I would agree with Vintly. 

If a team ignores Race Control, for whatever reason, right or wrong becomes irrelevant.  Red Bull will lose, as they should.

They may not even have gained an advantage.  It is possible that had they followed what was dictated by Race Control, they would still have ended up with the same result.  If that had not been the result, one must consider that, as I stated earlier, rule level the playing field for all and since all other teams were in compliance, Red Bull took advantage by disregarding the directive.

It does not bode well for their championship hopes.

[Vince]

I think that over the years, many of the teams can admit to becoming somewhat arrogant as they become more successful. Ferrari and McLaren have both certainly been there, possibly Williams during the Mansell/Hill years... Red Bull are now the team who believe that they are 'above the law' and better than the FIA.
If they had a genuine grievance about this system, it should have been aired publicly before the race. At least they would then have had the opportunity to say 'we told you so' following confirmation that the FIA fuel flow measuring system proves to be inaccurate.
For the record - I don't have a problem with Red Bull nor with their argument. I just think that they've done this all a**e about face...
In my opinion, the Australian fans and Ricciardo in particular are the real victims.