FIA vow to launch ‘full review’ into Bahrain GP formation lap carnage

The FIA has pledged to launch a full review after multiple cars unexpectedly lost power and stopped during wet formation laps at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Pole-sitter Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon, and Valtteri Bottas were among those affected, prompting red flags and an hour-long suspension of the start procedure.

FIA single-seater technical director Nikolas Tombazis explained that the problem was caused by untested software settings under low-grip, wet conditions with 2026-spec cars. The FIA quickly deployed an updated software patch to teams that removed specific energy limit constraints, allowing the race to eventually proceed without further power issues.