Silverstone Grand Prix ends under safety car after FIA software glitch

The British Grand Prix at Silverstone concluded under the safety car following a late‑race incident involving Max Verstappen, whose crash on lap 48 triggered the deployment of the safety car. As the field prepared for a possible restart, the race‑control display briefly showed the message “Safety Car In this lap,” suggesting the safety car would return to the pits and a final racing lap could occur. The FIA later clarified that this message was the result of a software error and was corrected within seconds to “Safety Car On Track,” leaving the safety car in place until the finish.

The governing body confirmed that the standard procedure was followed: lapped cars were allowed to un‑lap themselves and, per Article B5.13.5 of the regulations, one full lap must be completed after that process before racing can resume. With insufficient laps remaining, the race was formally ended under caution. Charles Leclerc claimed victory for Ferrari, George Russell finished second for Mercedes, and Lewis Hamilton took third. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff remarked that, while a restart would have been more exciting, he was pleased the regulations were applied correctly, recalling the controversial 2021 Abu Dhabi finish. Fans expressed frustration at the anti‑climactic ending, but the FIA emphasized that the software glitch did not affect the race’s procedural integrity.