"Unprecedented": FIA Explains the Software Glitch That Froze F1 Cars on Sepang's Formation Lap
The FIA has explained why several F1 cars lost power on the formation lap at Sepang, as drivers described a scary and confusing start.
Before a single racing lap was completed at Sepang on Sunday, the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia produced one of the strangest scenes of the 2026 Formula 1 season. On the formation lap, a number of cars suddenly lost power, leaving drivers confused, teams scrambling and the start held back again. The FIA has now explained what went wrong.
What the FIA said
In a statement reported by Sky Sports, the governing body said: "On the formation lap ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings and the Sepang circuit's sector configuration led to an unintended loss of power for a number of cars."
The FIA said it removed the relevant energy limit constraints through updated software distributed during the delay, which allowed teams to adjust their power unit settings before the race eventually started. Sky Sports reported that around an hour passed between the chaotic formation lap and the proper start.
What the drivers experienced
The problem hit cars at the front of the grid, including pole-sitter Max Verstappen and both Ferraris.
- Lewis Hamilton: "I had to stop on track and stop the car and engine and restart it. I've never done that before."
- Max Verstappen: "At some point we were five-wide on the straight because we couldn't understand what was going on."
- Charles Leclerc: "It's a little bit scary to see that with an F1 car... when you get out of the corner, sometimes you can have 100 horsepower more, 100 horsepower less."
Hamilton added: "I hope there is a lesson learned."
Why it matters
The 2026 rules introduced a new generation of power units that rely much more heavily on electrical energy, and the way that energy is managed is controlled by software and regulations. Sepang's wet track, slow formation-lap speeds and the way the circuit is divided into sectors combined in a way that, according to the FIA, had not been seen before.
RacingNews365 said the episode had exposed problems with the current regulations in wet-weather racing.
The weekend's other stewards' decisions
The glitch was not a stewards' matter, but the weekend did produce several decisions:
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin): two warnings for exceeding the maximum permitted time between two timing points on out-laps in both Q1 and Q2 on Saturday. PlanetF1 reported that the stewards rejected the team's argument that power-unit settings made compliance impossible, noting that he had complied on at least one other out-lap.
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari): a warning for impeding Gabriel Bortoleto in Friday practice, with Ferrari fined €10,000 for failing to warn him by radio.
None of these changed the race result, which was won by Verstappen ahead of Kimi Antonelli and Hamilton.
A late but memorable race
Despite the delays, the race went ahead in front of a record crowd and produced a dramatic result. Malaysian fans who stayed in the grandstands through the rain and the stoppage were rewarded with one of the most chaotic races of the season, including two safety-car periods and a late retirement for George Russell.
Key takeaways
- Several cars, including Verstappen's and both Ferraris, lost power on the formation lap.
- The FIA blamed an "unprecedented" mix of low engine speed, low grip, wet-weather energy settings and Sepang's sector layout.
- Updated software removed the energy limit constraints before the race started.
- Stroll and Hamilton received warnings for separate incidents earlier in the weekend.
FAQ
Why did F1 cars lose power at Sepang? The FIA said a combination of low engine speed, low grip, wet-weather energy management settings and the circuit's sector configuration caused an unintended loss of power.
How was it fixed? The FIA removed the energy limit constraints through updated software sent to teams before the start.
Did any penalty change the result? No. The weekend's warnings and fines did not alter the race classification.
Sources: Sky Sports, PlanetF1, RacingNews365