Formula 1 software bug causes chaos at Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia

The Bahrain Grand Prix, held at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, was marred by chaos during the formation laps due to a software malfunction. Heavy rain forced the field to drive at extremely low speeds behind the safety car, which triggered a bug in the FIA-supplied electronic control software. The glitch, related to the 2026-specification cars' hybrid power management, caused several vehicles—including those of Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, and Valtteri Bottas—to lose power or stall entirely.

Following the disruption, the FIA issued an emergency software patch to the teams, allowing the race to eventually proceed after a significant delay. Max Verstappen went on to win the race, with Kimi Antonelli and Lewis Hamilton rounding out the podium.

In the aftermath, the FIA has vowed to launch a full investigation into the incident. While some, like McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, defended the FIA for managing complex new regulations, other drivers expressed frustration. Lewis Hamilton compared the slow-moving cars to a ‘Lego race,’ and Max Verstappen called for a ‘lesson learned’ to ensure such technical failures do not recur.