Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton likened the effects of a software bug that affected multiple cars before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia to a "Lego race". The problem led to several cars, including those of the two multiple world champions who were sharing the front row of the grid, not working in the wet conditions that preceded the race.
A tropical downpour delayed attempts to get the grand prix under way for the best part of an hour. And when the cars set off on formation laps behind a safety car to test the conditions, audiences were treated to the bizarre sight of many of them struggling to move. A bug in the software that mandates how the engines' electrical power can be used in wet conditions had been triggered by a combination of low engine speeds, low grip and specific aspects of the circuit layout.
Verstappen, who went on to take a dominant win that was his first victory of the year, said: "These engines are so complicated and a lot of software is implemented. I triggered [the problem] first and then I looked in my mirror, I was like, 'Wait, are they waiting for me or what's going [on]...?' It was like the Lego race." Hamilton, sitting beside Verstappen in the post-race news conference after finishing third, interjected to say: "Yeah, we had the same speed. I had to stop on track and stop the car and engine and restart it. I've never done that before."
Nikolas Tombazis, the single-seater director for governing body the FIA, said there would be a full investigation. The issue arose, he added, because, while the software had been tested, it had not been tested in these specific conditions, largely because there has been so little running in the wet this year. "Cars are complicated," Tombazis said. "We would all like it to be simpler, but when you have electrical energy and combustion energy all working together, and obviously when you want to ensure that there's sporting fairness between the teams, that is complicated."
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing