Lawson began Sepang’s formation lap without team radio

Lawson told RacingNews365 he knew before pulling away for Sepang’s formation lap that he had no team radio. As cars slowed around him, he could not speak to the team and did not know whether overtaking was allowed.

Thunderstorms had delayed Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, and the first start procedure was suspended after several drivers struggled to maintain speed on the formation lap. Lawson said he was very stressed by the many procedures in the 2026 car and had no idea which mode he was meant to use. He described the moment this way: “That was probably the most alone I've ever felt.”

His radio problem was separate from the cars that stopped: RacingNews365 said Lawson was not among the drivers affected and reported that the FIA attributed the stoppages to a software bug. Lawson said he got the radio back after reading and carrying out a switch change shown on his pit board as he drove down the start-finish straight.

When the race finally began in slippery, mixed conditions, Lawson was on intermediates. He climbed from 11th to fourth after the first racing lap, gaining seven places, and finished seventh after 55 laps.