McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has publicly defended Formula 1 and the FIA following the chaotic start to the Bahrain Grand Prix, which took place at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. The race, held on Sunday, October 4, 2026, saw multiple cars stall during the formation lap due to a software bug and challenging wet conditions.
The incident occurred after a significant delay caused by torrential rain, forcing the initial start to be aborted. Several drivers, including Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, experienced a loss of power on the formation lap.
Hamilton was forced to stop and restart his car on track, a situation he described as a career first. Verstappen likened the experience to a ‘Lego race’ due to the unpredictable power delivery.
The FIA later confirmed that the problems stemmed from a software bug. This issue was exacerbated by an unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings, and the Sepang circuit’s configuration.
FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis noted that a lack of pre-season testing in wet conditions contributed to the unforeseen circumstances. A software fix was subsequently deployed to teams before the eventual restart of the Grand Prix.
Stella acknowledged the complexity of the new 2026 power unit regulations, which feature a 50:50 split between internal combustion and electrical power. He stated that the FIA, responsible for numerous parameters and software, had exerted maximum effort.
The McLaren team principal emphasised that this was the first time cars had started under such specific conditions with the new regulations. He urged a focus on the positive aspects of the new rules, rather than dwelling on initial setbacks. [Source Text]
While Stella offered a defence, other drivers voiced concerns. McLaren’s Lando Norris described the situation as ‘horrible’, and Mercedes driver George Russell highlighted the inherent complexity of the new power units.
Cadillac driver Sergio Perez also criticised the delays and the car’s behaviour, stating it was ‘totally unacceptable for the sport’. The widespread issues led to the start procedure being suspended.
The FIA has committed to a full investigation into the software bug and the overall incident. This aims to understand the problem thoroughly and prevent recurrence.
McLaren, having secured back-to-back Teams’ Championships in 2024 and 2025, and with Lando Norris winning the Drivers’ Championship last season, views 2026 as a ‘real reset’ due to the significant rule changes.
Stella concluded that occasional ‘teething issues’ or glitches must be accepted, drawing parallels to the challenges teams face during a race weekend. He stressed the importance of learning from the incident. [Source Text]
