‘Insane’: F1 drivers unite over engine regulations after chaotic Bahrain GP
Formula One drivers, including Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, have criticized new engine regulations following a chaotic and delayed Bahrain Grand Prix. Software failures in wet conditions caused cars to lose power, leading to calls for better testing and regulation.
Why it matters
Illustrates the tension between technological innovation in sports and the practical reliability required for competitive racing.
Kimi Antonelli joined Lewis Hamilton in criticising the FIA after farcical scenes in Sepang. Photograph: Antoine Lapeyre/Reveries Agency/ABACA/Shutterstock Kimi Antonelli joined Lewis Hamilton in criticising the FIA after farcical scenes in Sepang. Photograph: Antoine Lapeyre/Reveries Agency/ABACA/Shutterstock Formula One 2026 ‘Insane’: F1 drivers unite over engine regulations after chaotic Bahrain GP Antonelli and Hamilton led the criticism in Sepang
Race delayed after software problems in wet conditions
Prefer the Guardian on Google Formula One drivers issued a damning condemnation of the sport’s current engine regulations that caused the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia to open with farcical scenes of cars stopping on track and unable to accelerate because of software problems in the electronics that control the engines.
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