Carlos Sainz delivered a damning assessment of Formula 1‘s embarrassing software glitch during the formation lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
Critics of the sport’s new complex regulations were handed more ammunition on Sunday as software parameters, in conjunction with the 50/50 hybrid power units, suffered a bizarre failure.
With kilowattage of the cars’ batteries turned down by 100kW, a number of drivers lost power behind the Safety Car, with the slow pace exacerbated by the rain conditions.
After the race, the FIA explained the cause, partly due to a lack of testing, as Sepang’s pre-race downpour has been the only true sign of wet weather all season so far.
Many drivers have complained continuously about the regulations cycle, that began this season, including Sainz, who had more cause to blast them after the race.
“I think everyone needs to have a hard look at themselves and see how we ended up in this situation,” the Williams driver told media, including Motorsport Week.
“It is clear the brakes are extremely complicated for the drivers, for the teams, for the PUs, for the manufacturers. It is too complicated.
“Switching power right away, it is too complicated. Again, my only question mark is who five years ago decided that this was the right direction to go.
“Now that we are in this situation, I think we’re doing the best with what we are given as a sport and as regulations. I think the FIA and F1 are doing the best they can with what was decided four years ago, five years ago, but clearly what was decided four or five years ago is wrong and today proves it again.
“So not a lot more to say, let’s just learn as a sport not to do those mistakes again and not suffer from these same strange cases again.”
Carlos Sainz makes V8 remark with ‘so much controls’ review of new cars
Sainz finished second to last of all the drivers still on the road, after a bright early stint, and may have felt buoyed during the formation lap, as his car was one that was not affected by the software glitch.
“Well, I was enjoying it as I was gaining places for free, but it could have happened to me also, so it was a software glitch probably. So that was on the lucky side,” he said.
“Clearly something to understand from that, but that’s what happens when there’s so much software, so much controls involved.”
The Spaniard concluded the assessment by making a less-than-subtle hint for his wish for F1 to, as expected, return to full – or near-to-full – ICE power units.
“If it was a V8 aspirated, it would have never happened, so we all know that.”
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