FIA Concludes Investigation Into Bahrain Grand Prix Formation Lap “Software Bug”
The FIA has concluded its investigation into the Power Unit software issue that caused a number of Formula 1 cars to lose power during the formation laps ahead of the 2026 Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The unusual incident at Sepang International Circuit forced Race Control to suspend the start procedure after two formation laps, leaving teams and drivers facing an unexpected delay before the race could begin. The FIA has now completed its review, identifying the precise circumstances behind the loss of power and outlining changes to the wet-weather Power Unit software going forward.
What Went Wrong?
According to the FIA, the issue occurred on cars running at low engine RPM in certain sectors of the circuit where a 250kW power reduction had been applied.
Under those circumstances, some cars experienced a greater loss of power than the software was originally intended to produce. Crucially, that lost power could not be recovered while the cars remained within those particular sectors.
The result was the bizarre sight of multiple Formula 1 cars crawling around the circuit during the formation lap, with drivers reporting a lack of throttle response and power.
The FIA’s investigation specifically examined four areas: the precise cause of the power loss, measures to prevent a recurrence, the future management of wet-weather Power Unit settings and the data gathered by individual teams and Power Unit manufacturers.
The Software Was Tested
The FIA has also addressed suggestions that the software had simply been introduced without adequate testing.
According to the governing body, teams and Power Unit manufacturers conducted simulation exercises before the software was deployed. The package was then tested during full-scale running in Free Practice 1 at both the Belgian Grand Prix and Dutch Grand Prix.
The investigation has nevertheless recommended strengthening the testing and verification process.
The FIA, teams and Power Unit manufacturers will work to improve Power Unit software testing and validation, including independent assessment and collaborative feedback involving the supplier of the standardised Electronics Control Unit.
How the Problem Was Fixed
The incident also demonstrated how quickly the FIA technical team and the teams had to respond.
At 15:45, the race-start procedure was suspended following the two formation laps after several cars experienced power-loss issues.
Just five minutes later, at 15:50, the FIA technical team had identified the cause and released revised Power Unit software configurations intended to resolve the problem.
At 16:03, further technical guidance was provided to teams and Power Unit manufacturers concerning the implementation, installation and operation of the revised software.
By 16:20, the integration process had been completed and all competitors were ready to start approximately 20 minutes later.
The ten-minute signal was given at 16:22, while the cars finally left the pit lane at 16:33 to begin the race-start procedure.
Changes for Singapore and the United States
The FIA has already outlined the next steps.
If similar wet-weather conditions are expected at the Singapore Grand Prix, the configuration established for the Sepang event will be reinstated.
A further update to the wet-weather software is also scheduled to be released for the United States Grand Prix on October 25.
That means the Bahrain Grand Prix incident will directly influence how Formula 1 manages Power Unit behaviour in wet conditions during the remaining races of the season.
A Software Problem With a Very Real Consequence
Modern Formula 1 cars rely on extraordinarily complex Power Unit control systems, and the Sepang incident provided a rare public glimpse into just how dependent the cars are on software operating precisely as intended.
The FIA’s conclusion is relatively straightforward: the 250kW reduction applied in certain circuit sectors could, under low-RPM conditions, result in a larger power loss than intended.
The problem was identified, revised software was distributed and the race was eventually able to proceed.
But the incident has also prompted a broader response. The FIA says testing and verification procedures will be strengthened, with the governing body, teams and Power Unit manufacturers working together to make the software as robust as possible despite the limited opportunities available to test these systems in representative conditions.
For Formula 1, where fractions of a second can determine an entire race, the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia demonstrated that sometimes the most significant problems aren’t mechanical at all.
Sometimes, they are buried in the software.
