FIA Plans Full Investigation After Chaotic Bahrain GP Start at Sepang

SEPANG, Oct 5 – Formula One’s governing body, the FIA, has vowed to conduct a full investigation into the rain-delayed Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit after multiple vehicles suffered critical power unit software failures during the formation lap.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen navigated the chaotic conditions to secure his first victory of the 2026 season. Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli finished second, while Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton completed a comeback drive from 18th to claim the final podium spot.

Meanwhile, George Russell retired from third position due to an engine failure, effectively ending his championship aspirations.

Formation Lap Breakdown and Software Resolution

The race was initially delayed by 40 minutes due to heavy rainfall before an attempted start was abandoned on the formation lap when several cars lost acceleration.

Key developments during the disruption included:

• Hybrid System Vulnerability: Complications stemming from the 2026 power unit regulations—which features a 50-50 split between internal combustion and electric battery power—prevented drivers, including Verstappen and Hamilton, from generating engine power in the wet conditions.
• On-Track Stoppages: Hamilton was forced to come to a complete stop on the track to perform a full system and engine reset.
• Software Patch Distributed: FIA officials paused procedures for 53 minutes to distribute and download an emergency software update to all teams in the pit lane to remove energy limit constraints in affected sectors.

Following two formation laps behind the safety car, the race proceeded with a standing start.

Driver Reactions and FIA Response

Addressing the unprecedented delays, Hamilton compared the event to a “Lego race,” while Russell criticized the overall spectacle for fans, noting that the sequence of delays, red flags, and safety car laps “didn’t feel very ‘F1’ today”.

In an official statement, the FIA confirmed that an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, wet-weather energy management settings, low grip, and circuit sector configurations caused the loss of power, an anomaly undetected during pre-season testing or laps to the grid.

The FIA stated it will collaborate with teams and power unit manufacturers to conduct a comprehensive review to prevent a recurrence.

–NMT