As The Race reports, Formula 1 drivers were left deeply critical of the sport after a torrential rain shower triggered a 40-minute delay to the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, followed by a botched initial start attempt when conditions improved. Multiple machines stalled out on the formation laps, forcing an abandoned start due to an apparent software bug. When the event finally got underway, it was delayed by a total of one hour and 40 minutes from the original schedule.
Mercedes driver George Russell didn't hold back on the messy sequence of events, pointing out the endless laps behind the safety car and extra running permitted to let Sergio Perez overtake. “The whole day felt like a bit of a faff... it didn't feel very F1 today,” Russell said, adding that the exceptionally complicated power units leave far too much room for things to go wrong.
Lando Norris labelled the situation “horrible” and argued that electronics shouldn't dictate such matters, referencing the heavy reliance on electrical power alongside the internal combustion engine. Cadillac driver Sergio Perez likened the fiasco to being stuck in rental karting when the time runs out, calling the entire ordeal “totally unacceptable for the sport”.
Carlos Sainz argued that the category “needs to have a hard look at themselves and see how we ended up in this situation”. Pointing to the sheer complexity of the current regulations for everyone involved, Sainz questioned the path chosen years prior and noted that a simple V8 aspirated setup would have prevented the software-driven chaos entirely.
Race winner Max Verstappen agreed that lessons must be learned from the episode. Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton admitted he had never previously experienced having to stop and restart an F1 car in such a manner.
Oscar Piastri noted the novelty of the situation, stating he had never seen an F1 race delayed by a bug before. However, Piastri urged caution against assigning immediate blame, noting that lightning had knocked out various F1 and FIA systems and suggesting a reset might have been to blame.
