FIA director confirms Ferrari weren’t to blame for Lewis Hamilton stoppage before Bahrain Grand Prix

FIA director Nikolas Tombazis confirmed that Ferrari was not responsible for Lewis Hamilton's stoppage during the formation lap before the race. Speaking to DAZN, Tombazis explained that a software configuration error intended for wet conditions caused several cars operating at low speeds to lose power and fail to accelerate. The FIA promptly deployed a red flag and provided an updated software fix to teams within 20 minutes to resolve the issue.

Despite the chaotic start and dropping down to 18th place after beginning on dry tires in wet conditions, Hamilton recovered strongly. Driving the Ferrari SF-26, the British driver fought through the field to secure a third-place podium finish behind race winner Max Verstappen.