Drivers were left stranded on formation laps and power units failed on Sunday, October 5, 2026, when a software bug aborted the Bahrain Grand Prix start at Malaysia’s Sepang circuit, prompting Formula One governing bodies to promise a full investigation.
Heavy rain drenched the track before the lights went out at the Sepang weekend, which was assembled hurriedly to replace the cancelled Bahrain Grand Prix and delivered one of the crazier races seen in modern Formula One after heavy rain drenched the track. Chaos immediately broke out across the grid as the field toured behind the safety car for two formation laps in low-speed, low-grip conditions, and the engines’ power-delivery software encountered parameters it could not process.
Software Glitches Strike the Sepang Grid
Max Verstappen reported first that he could no longer accelerate. Lewis Hamilton slowed and came to a complete halt on the track immediately afterward. Hamilton described having to perform a forced reboot of his car to get moving again, marking a first in his career. A number of other drivers encountered the exact same issue while crawling around the circuit, while one Haas and one Cadillac ground to a halt entirely.
Sesetengah kereta lumba bergerak sangat perlahan, hampir terhenti.
Nikolas Tombazis, FIA single-seater director, via Berita Mediacorp
Nikolas Tombazis, the single-seater director for the FIA, told reporters that some cars moved extremely slowly and nearly came to a complete standstill, creating a concertina effect throughout the field. The fast-starting Racing Bulls of Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad had been going along very nicely in the hands of the drivers, who started at the very back due to power unit penalties.
The governing body later explained that an unprecedented combination of factors triggered the failure. An unintended loss of power occurred because low engine speeds, wet-weather energy management settings, low-grip conditions, and the specific sector configuration of the Sepang circuit collided, according to reports from the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile.
FIA Issues a Software Patch and Drivers React
Officials suspended the start when faced with a stalled and disorganized field. A 53-minute delay ensued while the technical department wrote, tested, and distributed a software update to all competitors.
The FIA technical department removed the energy limit constraint in the affected sectors through the updated software release, allowing teams to adjust their power units before the race finally got underway.
Verstappen and Hamilton openly mocked the bizarre situation, comparing the stranded cars to a promotional Lego car race they had driven at Silverstone in July. Verstappen noted that these engines are so complicated and have a lot of software implemented, meaning that when there is some kind of error or glitch, that becomes the problem. Nikolas Tombazis conceded to reporters that a lack of preseason testing in wet conditions allowed the bug to slip through unnoticed.
Tyre Dilemmas Dictate the Race Outcome
Teams faced a fresh headache over tyre selection on a track that dried much slower than anticipated once racing finally commenced after the long delay. Ferrari, McLaren, Audi, and Aston Martin initially gambled on slick dry tyres, only to discover heavy spray and wet patches lingering at turns three and five. Oscar Piastri at McLaren and Audi drivers recognized immediately that the right tyre was the intermediate with the light water grooves.
Drivers on intermediate tyres quickly carved their way through the field past struggling rivals. Valtteri Bottas later spun his Cadillac deep into the gravel at turn 13, bringing out a safety car that allowed the leaders to pit and switch tyres without surrendering massive chunks of time. Alex Albon brought his Williams to a halt near turn three’s exit on lap 42 of 55, though he managed to leave it safely positioned beside a service lane.
Max Verstappen ultimately drove to a dominant victory, his first win of the season, in a race that finished a full three hours and twenty minutes after the initial start time. Lewis Hamilton fought back from dropping down the order to finish third, while Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes secured second place on the podium.