Four F1 Stars Say Sepang Chaos Made the Sport Look Bad After Cars Grind to a Halt

Four Formula One drivers have criticised the chaotic scenes before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, arguing that cars grinding to a halt and a lengthy start delay reflected poorly on the sport.

George Russell, Lando Norris, Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz all voiced frustration after Sunday's race at Sepang, where a software problem caused several cars to lose power during the formation laps.

The start procedure was abandoned before an emergency software update was distributed across the grid, adding to a delay already caused by heavy rain.

Russell Says It 'Didn't Feel Very F1'

Russell questioned how the afternoon unfolded from a spectator's perspective.

The Mercedes driver described the day as 'a bit of a faff', pointing to the weather delay, red flag, Safety Car running and additional formation-lap complications. 'It didn't feel very F1 today,' Russell said, adding that he would have been disappointed watching the sequence from the grandstands.

He also highlighted the complexity of the 2026 power units, arguing that increasing complexity inevitably creates more opportunities for problems.

Norris was similarly unimpressed. The McLaren driver called the situation 'horrible' and said the incident demonstrated concerns surrounding the electronic side of F1's new-generation machinery.

Pérez Calls Situation 'Totally Unacceptable'

Pérez offered one of the strongest assessments. The Cadillac driver compared the experience to rental karting when time expires, describing what happened as 'totally unacceptable for the sport'.

Sainz went further by questioning the direction Formula One chose when developing its current technical regulations.

The Williams driver said F1 needed to 'have a hard look' at itself and examine how it had reached such a situation.

'It is clear the regs are extremely complicated for the drivers, for the teams, for the PUs, for the manufacturers,' Sainz said. 'It is too complicated.'

He argued that Formula One and the FIA were now working with decisions made several years ago and said the sport should learn from the episode rather than repeat similar problems.

Software Problem Forces Emergency Fix

The FIA later said an 'unprecedented combination' of low engine speeds, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy-management settings and Sepang's sector configuration led to an unintended loss of power.

Several cars slowed dramatically, while Lewis Hamilton stopped completely before restarting his Ferrari.

Officials abandoned the start procedure and distributed updated software allowing teams to make changes before the race eventually began. The FIA has promised a full review with teams and power-unit manufacturers.

The criticism was not limited to the four drivers. Oscar Piastri said he had never previously seen an F1 race delayed by a software bug, although he cautioned against assigning blame before the problem was properly understood.

The incident also created an awkward contrast between the technological ambitions of F1's new regulations and the spectacle viewers witnessed during the disrupted start procedure at Sepang.

For Russell, Norris, Pérez and Sainz, however, Sepang exposed a broader concern. Formula One's new regulations are supposed to represent the championship's technological future, yet their first major wet-weather test produced scenes the four experienced drivers felt fell below the standard expected from the pinnacle of motorsport.