Race control error strips power from cars in Singapore sprint qualifying, leaving Aston Martin weighing protest

A human error in FIA race control compromised the first segment of sprint qualifying at the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday, leaving multiple cars stripped of their power boost and sparking fury across the paddock — with Aston Martin still weighing whether to lodge a formal protest.

The trouble began when SQ1 was red-flagged to remove debris from Sergio Perez’s front wing at Marina Bay. When the session resumed, a race control official failed to reactivate Overtake Mode — the electric power boost that is normally active throughout qualifying. Drivers immediately reported being mysteriously down on power, and the error was only partially corrected when an official switched the mode back on for just 27 seconds before deactivating it again.

The consequences were significant. Cars that had set their best laps in the opening phase of SQ1, before the red flag, had done so with the full power boost available. Those who set their quickest times after the stoppage were effectively competing at a disadvantage. Arvid Lindblad, Lance Stroll and both Williams drivers — among those who attempted their fastest laps during the affected window — were eliminated at the SQ1 stage.

Williams subsequently requested that all 22 cars be permitted to participate in SQ2, essentially resetting the session. Race stewards denied that request, citing uncertainty over whether they had the regulatory authority to grant it. A separate request to re-run SQ1 entirely was also refused due to insufficient remaining tyre sets.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis met with the affected teams and drivers in the aftermath. Williams and Racing Bulls are understood to be deeply frustrated but have indicated they will not protest the results. Aston Martin, however, is keeping its options open, with the team keen to ensure the sprint starting grid reflects a level playing field. The team is uncertain whether the FIA has any mechanism to rectify the situation without creating further complications elsewhere in the order.

The incident marks the second notable procedural failure in successive race weekends, following the delayed start to the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia the previous week, which was caused by a software glitch in power unit control systems.

Adding to the confusion, the race control error was entirely separate from a concurrent timing issue — managed by Formula 1’s commercial rights holder rather than the FIA — which failed to register several lap times during SQ1.