Formula One is set to investigate a software bug that threw the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix into disarray, Al Jazeera reports. The race took place in Sepang, Malaysia, and the disruption unfolded across the formation laps. The FIA has described the fault as "unprecedented," according to Sky Sports.
The governing body's explanation points to a technical failure rather than a sporting decision, though the reporting does not detail what triggered the bug. Coverage of the incident has been widespread, with multiple outlets treating it as a significant embarrassment for the series.
Carlos Sainz said F1 needs to look at itself following the software glitches, the BBC reported. The Guardian's Giles Richards wrote that the sport appeared amateurish and incompetent after the scenes in Sepang, while The Telegraph argued the episode must become the moment F1 changes.
The reporting does not specify which teams or drivers were affected, how long the delay lasted, or what the final race outcome was. It also does not indicate whether the investigation will be conducted by the FIA alone or involve the sport's commercial rights holder.
What to watch next: whether F1 and the FIA publish findings from the probe and outline any changes to the systems used during race starts.
