Hamilton baffled as technical hitch turns F1 race into 'Lego-like' chaos
Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton liken the effects of a software bug that affected multiple cars before the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia to a "Lego race".
Source: BBC Sport · October 4, 2026 at 8:20 PM · AI-assisted report
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SEPANG INTERNATIONAL CIRCUIT, BAHRAIN, 5 OCTOBER 2026 —
F1’s ‘Lego Race’ Chaos in Malaysia: Software Bug Halts Grid, Forces Rule Reversal as Verstappen Claims Dominant Win
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A critical software flaw in the hybrid power units of Formula 1 cars turned the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang International Circuit into a surreal spectacle on Sunday, as drivers including world champions Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton struggled to move under wet conditions, likening the scene to a "Lego race." The glitch, triggered by a combination of low engine speeds, low grip, and the circuit’s layout, forced a near-hour delay and prompted the FIA to reverse the grid order for a restart—a decision that underscored the unprecedented nature of the technical failure.
The incident exposed deep-seated vulnerabilities in F1’s latest hybrid engine regulations, which split power nearly 50-50 between internal combustion and electrical systems. While the sport’s governing body, the FIA, has acknowledged the issue as a "major criticality," the chaos also highlighted how the complexity of modern F1 cars—designed to balance performance, fairness, and energy efficiency—can lead to unpredictable on-track consequences.
Verstappen’s eventual victory, his first of the season, came after a race marred by delays, a jumbled formation lap, and a late safety car period, yet it reinforced his dominance in a season where his Red Bull team had struggled to match the consistency of rivals like Mercedes.
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The problem emerged during formation laps behind a safety car, as a tropical downpour soaked the Sepang circuit. Drivers reported their cars crawling at near-stopping speeds, unable to harness the full power of their hybrid engines due to a bug in the FIA-mandated software governing electrical energy deployment in wet conditions.
Verstappen, who would go on to win the race, described the scene as "insane," noting that at one point, eight cars—including his own—were moving at a snail’s pace on the straight. "I triggered [the problem] first and then I looked in my mirror, I was like, ‘Wait, are they waiting for me or what’s going on…?’" he said in the post-race press conference. "It was like the Lego race."
Hamilton, who finished third after restarting his Mercedes from a standstill on track, interjected: "Yeah, we had the same speed. I had to stop on track and stop the car and engine and restart it.
I’ve never done that before." The two-time world champion later added that the incident was "not what you want for the sport," as spectators witnessed a rare display of technical dysfunction in an era where F1’s image relies on precision and high-speed drama.
The chaos extended beyond the drivers. Mercedes deputy team principal Bradley Lord noted that if the FIA had enforced a strict interpretation of the rules—requiring the grid to reflect the jumbled order from the formation laps—the spectacle would have been far harder to explain to global audiences.
"If you think of the millions of people watching around the world, they tune in for the start and suddenly the cars are all in a jumbled-up order because of something that happened 40 minutes earlier and it was behind a safety car on a formation lap," Lord said.
"That would have been a much harder thing to explain than resetting and then going from where we did." The FIA ultimately decided to revert to the original grid, a move that avoided further confusion but did not resolve the underlying technical issue.
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Nikolas Tombazis, the FIA’s single-seater director, confirmed that the bug had not been detected in previous testing due to the rarity of wet-weather conditions this season. "Cars are complicated," he said.
"We would all like it to be simpler, but when you have electrical energy and combustion energy all working together, and obviously when you want to ensure sporting fairness between the teams, that is complicated." He added that while the FIA would conduct a full investigation, the incident was a direct result of the engines’ energy-starved design—a consequence of the 2026 regulations, which mandate a near-equal split between fuel and electrical power.
The complexity of the hybrid systems has plagued F1 throughout the year, with drivers frequently complaining about counterintuitive handling and power delivery. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the "glitches" as a natural part of implementing new regulations but defended the sport’s efforts to refine the rules.
"We have to concede that F1 has done an excellent job in making some new regulations that came with some question marks from a power-unit behavior point of view," Stella said. "But at the same time, it is the first year of new regulations, quite complex from a regulatory point of view, and it was also the first time we started in such conditions."
The issue is not isolated. Since the start of the season, F1’s hybrid engines—developed under strict FIA oversight to ensure parity among teams—have faced repeated criticism for their unpredictability. Teams have been forced to add "sticking-plaster solutions" to manage energy deployment, leading to the very driving quirks that have frustrated top drivers.
For next year, the FIA has already signaled changes to the energy split, aiming to reduce the reliance on electrical power and simplify the systems.
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Verstappen’s victory, his 72nd in F1, was a stark contrast to the race’s chaotic start. The Dutchman dominated from the restart, capitalizing on Mercedes’ struggles with tire management and a late safety car period that dropped him into an ideal position. His win at Sepang—where he also triumphed in 2017—marked a return to form for Red Bull, which had entered the season as the fourth-fastest team among the top four constructors.
While Verstappen’s rivals had spent the weekend warning of his potential, his ability to convert pole position into a commanding lead—despite the early chaos—demonstrated his resilience.
The race also served as a reminder of the shifting dynamics in the championship. With only six races remaining, Verstappen’s win adds momentum to his title bid, though Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and George Russell remain in contention. Russell, who retired from the race due to an engine failure, summed up the weekend’s frustrations: "It didn’t feel very F1." Yet, for Verstappen, the victory was a statement.
"Amazing," he said, reflecting on a race that had defied expectations from start to finish.
As the FIA prepares to investigate the software bug, the incident in Malaysia has reignited debates about the future of hybrid engines in F1. While Tombazis assured that the specific issue would not recur, the broader challenges of balancing innovation, fairness, and reliability remain unresolved. For now, the sport’s technical directors are focused on ensuring that the next race—scheduled for Saudi Arabia—does not repeat the same mistakes.
But with wet-weather conditions increasingly unpredictable, the question lingers: how much longer can F1 afford to rely on systems that, under pressure, behave more like Lego than high-performance machinery?