Powerless F1 drivers frustrated by Bahrain F1 software glitch

by Adi Gunawan 05 October 2026 5 min read 82x views

Powerless F1 drivers frustrated by Bahrain F1 software glitch

Leading F1 drivers are despairing at power component application glitches that derailed the commencement of the Bahrain GP in Malaysia, with Lando Norris calling the digital glitches "horrible" and additional evidence that F1 should move distant from hybrids.

The commencement at a wet Sepang circuit was aborted following a ample figure of cars suffered crippling application issues. With the event being the archetypal wet climate competition contested by the 2026 generation of cars, a bug in the application whenever drivers were driving at extremely low speeds, triggered by the power component controller's wet climate mode, remaining drivers stuck into idle manner at assorted points of the two planned arrangement laps.

With multiple cars stuck into that idle loop, the FIA had to quickly code and provision a application place for all 11 teams to instal during the following red emblem stoppage, lifting the customary wet climate power decrease in the affected zones. It took a 50-minute postpone for the competition to start, which was a important blemish for F1 onward of what was alternatively an entertaining, mixed-weather race.

With drivers already harbouring misgivings on F1 2026's battery-dominated racing and the overbearing electronics that are in charge, the event did small to additional endear them to the current formula.

"It's fair horrible. I don't know, it fair proves that we shouldn't have any of that stuff, the digital side," Norris said, among the few Mercedes-powered drivers to endure the glitch.

"I've never seen an F1 competition delayed by a bug. That was a new one," Piastri stated mockingly. "I got stuck for concerning a second. When the turbo doesn't activity on these things, you power as fine shove the car alternatively of using an engine. It was fairly bizarre. It wasn't a awesome look, but I think it would be unfair to item the digit before there's an explanation."

Lando Norris, McLaren

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

Cadillac's Sergio Perez, who drove one of several Ferrari-powered cars that were affected, was small kind. "It felt akin you were in a rental kart and you ran out of time," the Mexican explained. "You were putting your ft downward and accelerating and nothing was coming.

"I'm certain we volition study from it as a sport. But what happened today is totally unacceptable for the sport."

Haas controller Oliver Bearman stated it was "scary" for his throttle pedal being cut off by item beyond his control. "I've never seen item akin that. I was shocked," he said. "I didn't equal cognize that the FIA could authority our throttle pedal. That was fairly scary, actually. My throttle pedal stopped working, but it looks akin everybody stopped operating as well. The motor was fair idling."

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso stated there was now "too much technology" engaged in the sequence and felt "the spectators don’t really value it" either. Meanwhile, competition victor Max Verstappen, whose dilatory getaway helped trigger the bug, likened the arrangement lap anarchy to the Lego go-kart competition in Silverstone.

"That’s the issue that we have," the Dutchman said. "These engines are so complex and a lot of application is implemented. I triggered it archetypal and afterward I looked in my mirror and I was like: 'Wait, are they waiting for me or what’s going on...?'

"Then we did a lap and afterward I saw eight another cars crawling still. What can you say? I mean, that’s not what you desire for the sport, right?"