The FIA has announced the results of its investigation into the incident that occurred during the recently held Malaysian Grand Prix. The race, which started chaotically with half of the championship field stopped behind the safety car, was marked by a software failure.
The identified problem was related to the 250 kW power restriction that the FIA set for races in wet conditions. Although Nikolas Tombazis, FIA single-seater director, provided an immediate explanation after the race, a deeper investigation has been carried out to address the incident.
The investigation focused on four key points. Firstly, it was determined that certain cars operated at low engine revolutions in specific sectors of the circuit, resulting in a loss of power beyond what had been anticipated and that could not be adequately recovered.
The problem caused the electric motors of the vehicles to enter a locking mode in the slowest sections of the circuit, preventing drivers from accelerating properly. As an immediate response, the FIA sent a software update to all teams for rapid installation before the resumption of the race.
To ensure that a similar incident does not occur at the Singapore Grand Prix, the FIA will use the same temporary solution implemented in Malaysia. This action will be taken if weather conditions require it, and a more permanent software update is expected to be ready for the United States Grand Prix, scheduled for October 25.
Tombazis has assured that the specific problem focused on Malaysia will not be repeated, although he could not guarantee that new errors would not appear given the complexity of the 2026 engines. Additionally, the FIA acknowledged that the software had not been adequately assessed due to the lack of races in wet conditions during the current season.
Therefore, it has been decided to work together with the teams to improve the software testing process. New measures will be introduced to ensure a more thorough validation of the software, in collaboration with engine manufacturers and an independent assessment to ensure the robustness of the systems.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
