Formula One Investigates Software Bug from Bahrain Grand Prix

Drivers experienced technical issues during the Bahrain Grand Prix at the Sepang circuit in Malaysia, where Lewis Hamilton had to stop and restart his car on the track. Formula One's governing body, the FIA, has announced a full investigation into a software bug that led to the race's start being aborted. This incident occurred after heavy rain and a lengthy delay. Both Hamilton, a seven-time world champion with Ferrari, and Max Verstappen, a four-time champion with Red Bull and the eventual race winner, were affected by the glitch during the formation lap. Verstappen likened the situation to a 'Lego race' held at Silverstone prior to the British Grand Prix. Hamilton described having to restart his car as a first in his career. The FIA stated that an 'unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings, and the Sepang circuit's sector configuration' resulted in an unintended loss of power for several cars. In response, the FIA removed the energy limit constraint in the affected sectors through a software update distributed to all competitors during the rain delay. The FIA acknowledged that the issue had not been identified during testing or the laps to the grid. Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA's single-seater director, noted that the lack of preseason testing in wet conditions contributed to the problems experienced. He mentioned that some cars moved very slowly, causing a concertina effect, and that the bug hindered the power from being redeployed. Tombazis expressed that additional testing might have helped identify the issue sooner. The Sepang race weekend marked the first of the season with wet conditions, although the track dried during the race. Tombazis concluded that sometimes issues are overlooked, but lessons are learned for future events.