The FIA has concluded its investigation into the software glitch in the formation lap of the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The glitch occurred during the warm-up lap of the race at the Sepang Circuit, with several cars slowing or coming to a complete stop.
Software parameters used on track by teams to reduce kilowatt power in wet conditions were determined to have been the factor in why cars began to malfunction.
The incident left a number of drivers speaking out after the race, ranging from Esteban Ocon’s joke about a “Windows restart” to Carlos Sainz’s barbed jibe about those associated with the new regulations should “have a hard look” at themselves.
Ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, the sport’s governing body has released the outcome of its findings into the issue.
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Focusing on four pillars of the cause, future mitigation measures, future management of wet-weather PU settings and learnings from all teams’ data, the FIA wrote: “The review concluded that some cars running on low engine RPM in certain circuit sectors where a 250kW power reduction was applied experienced a loss of power beyond the original intent and that could not be recovered in those sectors.
“As a result, the configuration established for the Sepang event will be reinstated for the Singapore Grand Prix should similar weather conditions be expected. Additionally, a further update to the wet weather software will be released for the United States Grand Prix on October 25.
The review also recommended that measures would be implemented for testing of the software, recognising that opportunities for testing are limited, to make it robust as possible. The FIA , together with the teams and Power Unit Manufacturers (PUMs), will continue to strengthen Power Unit software testing and verification capabilities, enhancing the overall validation process through independent assessment and collaborative feedback, including input from the supplier of the standardised Electronics Control Unit (ECU).
“The FIA would like to address comments suggesting that the software had not been tested prior to its deployment. Before implementation, teams and Power Unit manufacturers conducted simulation exercises to validate the software package, which was subsequently tested in full-scale running during Free Practice 1 sessions at both the Belgian Grand Prix and the Dutch Grand Prix.”
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