F1 Needs "Hard Look" After Software Glitches, Sainz Says

Formula 1 "needs to have a hard look at" itself following unprecedented software glitches that disrupted the Bahrain Grand Prix, according to Williams driver Carlos Sainz. The race start was delayed by an hour and a half after a bug in the software for a wet-weather engine map caused multiple cars to struggle on formation laps.

A new software code was issued to address the issue before the race could commence.

Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, stated that the regulations have become excessively complex for drivers, teams, power unit manufacturers, and governing bodies. "We are doing the best with what we are given as a sport and as regulations," he said. "The FIA and F1 are doing the best they can. But clearly what was decided four or five years ago was wrong. We need to learn as a sport not to make those mistakes again."

The sport's governing body, the FIA, has initiated a "full review" into the incident. The problem arose because limited wet-weather running had occurred earlier in the year, meaning the specific circumstances that triggered the software bug had not been encountered.

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies acknowledged the incident as a "good reminder for all of us that we should probably make sure that complexity doesn't get out of hand and that we keep things as under control as possible." He added, "I'm sure we'll have discussions with the teams, with the FIA and with F1 to see how we can protect ourselves from those situations moving forward and make sure we can keep the complexity of the cars and the systems under control."

Sainz's comments relate to the broader discussion surrounding the current year's engine regulations, which feature a near 50-50 split between internal combustion and electrical power. These engines are described as fundamentally energy-starved, leading to counter-intuitive car behavior and a reduced impact of driver skill. While capable of approximately 1,000 brake horsepower (bhp) on full power, they provide only 540 bhp when batteries deplete. The regulations mandate frequent battery deployment and recharging within a single lap, coupled with complex operational restrictions designed to mitigate issues.

One such restriction, which contributed to the Bahrain GP problem, is the reduction of total electrical power from 350 kilowatts (470 bhp) to 250 kilowatts (335 bhp) in wet conditions. The rules also lead to cars slowing on straights to recharge batteries, and certain fast corners have been altered, described by two-time champion Fernando Alonso as "charging stations for the car."

The 50-50 split was established five to six years ago, and teams had reportedly warned the FIA of potential issues since at least 2023. The full impact of the engines was not widely questioned until shortly before the current season began.

Since the start of the year, several rule changes have been implemented to address these concerns. The total allowed energy recovery is now adjusted based on a circuit's energy demands. The energy split is set to shift to a 60-40 favoring internal combustion in two stages by 2028. Teams and F1 management are also developing a new engine formula intended to eliminate energy starvation. Initially, FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem favored naturally aspirated V8 engines without hybrid components. The current leading prospect for the new formula is a V8 turbo with 15-25% electrical power, primarily functioning as a push-to-pass system.