The FIA admitted a software error caused the safety‑car decision at the Silverstone race. After Max Verstappen crashed six laps early, race control allowed lapped cars to unlap themselves, a move that required a full lap to be completed before the race could finish. A message mistakenly read “safety‑car in this lap” on the penultimate lap, but eight seconds later the system corrected it to “safety‑car deployed,” keeping the car on track for the final lap and ending the race.

With the rule applied correctly, Charles Leclerc took the victory, having pitted for fresh soft tyres in anticipation of a restart. George Russell moved up to second for Mercedes after he did not change tyres, while Lewis Hamilton also pitted and finished third. The Red Bull team lost its chance to fight for the win.

The incidentoes again highlightsBrace the sensitivity around late‑race restarts, echoing the 2021 Abu Dhabi finale where a similar rule breach let Verstappen overtake Hamilton for the title. FIA officials say the safety‑car period regulation, Article B5.13.5, was followed correctly, and the erroneous message was purely a technical glitch.

This clarification tightens the regulatory framework for future races and signals that any deviation in timing messages will be scrutinised closely to preserve fairness.