Tombazis apologises after software bug delays Bahrain GP start

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis apologised to Formula 1 fans after a software bug disrupted the formation lap and delayed the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang, Malaysia.

Bad weather had already postponed the start. About 40 minutes after the scheduled time, the cars emerged from the pit lane behind the safety car on a wet track. Lewis Hamilton, Esteban Ocon and Valtteri Bottas stopped on the circuit, then got moving again. The FIA aborted the start, and all cars returned to the pit lane.

Tombazis said the bug prevented power from being redeployed. He described cars bunching up, with some nearly stopping. The FIA issued a software update for the teams to install; the full process took about 20 minutes, he said. He apologised for the wait but said the response was quick given the problem.

The software had been tested, Tombazis said, but not in the specific conditions that exposed the bug: cars moving at very low speed on a wet formation lap. He said more testing probably would have caught the problem in time.