FIA admits software bug left Verstappen and Hamilton stranded in Malaysia formation lap chaos

A software bug in Formula 1’s new-generation hybrid power units left multiple cars, including those of front-row starters Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, unable to redeploy power during the formation lap at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, forcing a red flag and a 53-minute delay before the Sepang race could be restarted.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis explained that the fault was triggered by a combination of circumstances unique to wet conditions: cars slowing almost to a standstill in a concertina effect during the formation lap, which exposed a flaw in the software governing the power unit’s electrical deployment — a system that accounts for 47% of the new cars’ total power output.

“We didn’t manage to test the software as extensively as we would have liked, because there’s been very little wet running this year, and there was a bit of a combination of circumstances which caused this bug to kick in,” Tombazis said. “If we had had a bit more testing, we probably would have managed to catch it in time.”

Once the problem was identified, FIA engineers worked under significant time pressure to issue a software update to all teams, who then had to install it on their cars. Tombazis said the entire process took roughly 20 minutes, a timeline he defended as a swift response given the complexity of the fix. “It may have felt like five hours for spectators waiting for a race, which is understandable, and we are sorry about that,” he added.

The incident drew sharp criticism from drivers. Sergio Perez called the situation “unacceptable” and compared it to “being in a rental kart and running out of time”, while Lando Norris described it as “just horrible” and questioned the reliability of the electronic systems on the new machinery. The race start had already been pushed back 40 minutes by a heavy downpour before the formation lap compounded the delays.

Not every driver was displeased with how the afternoon unfolded. Fernando Alonso, who finished eighth for Aston Martin-Honda in what was an unusually strong result for the team, offered a wry take: “I had 50% DNFs this year, they never stopped the race for us.”