The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) has announced that it will roll out additional adjustments to the wet‑weather engine control software ahead of the United States Grand Prix. This decision follows a thorough investigation into the "software bug" that caused a further postponement of the start of last week’s rain‑soaked Malaysian Grand Prix.
During the opening laps of the Malaysia race, several cars either decelerated dramatically or came to a brief halt as they navigated the wet circuit. After the event, the FIA characterised the problem as an "unprecedented combination" of factors: the unusually low speeds the cars were forced to travel in the rain and the specific sector layout of the Sepang track.
The combination triggered an unexpected power loss that the existing software was not designed to recover from. Because of the issue, race officials were forced to abandon the original start procedure. After a 48‑minute delay, the Grand Prix finally commenced once the FIA issued a rapid software patch to every team and power‑unit supplier. The patch restored the intended power‑reduction limits and allowed the cars to resume racing safely.
Having pledged a full inquiry, the FIA released its findings and outlined the next steps on Thursday, just before the Singapore Grand Prix weekend. The governing body’s statement explained that the review determined that cars operating at low engine revolutions per minute (RPM) in certain sections of the circuit—where a 250 kW power reduction is normally applied—experienced a loss of power that exceeded the original reduction target. In those sectors the deficit could not be recovered, leading to the stalls and slow‑downs observed on the grid.
To avoid a repeat of the Sepang incident, the FIA said it will reinstate the configuration used for the Malaysian event at the upcoming Singapore race should comparable wet conditions arise. In addition, a further software update for wet‑weather operation will be dispatched for the United States Grand Prix on 25 October. The review also recommended that the FIA introduce more rigorous testing protocols for the engine‑control software, acknowledging that opportunities for on‑track testing are limited. The aim is to make the software as robust as possible before it is deployed in race conditions.
In line with that recommendation, the FIA, together with the Formula 1 teams and Power Unit Manufacturers (PUMs), will intensify their collaborative efforts to improve software validation. This will involve independent assessments, feedback loops with the supplier of the standardized Electronic Control Unit (ECU), and a more structured verification process that captures a broader range of operating scenarios.
The governing body also addressed speculation that the wet‑weather software had not been tested prior to its use at Sepang. According to the FIA, extensive simulation work was carried out by both the teams and the power‑unit manufacturers before the software package was rolled out.
Moreover, the software underwent full‑scale testing during Free Practice 1 sessions at the Belgian Grand Prix and the Dutch Grand Prix, providing real‑world data that confirmed its functionality under wet conditions. The FIA detailed the timeline of the Sepang resolution, noting that its technical team identified the root cause and distributed the corrective software configuration to all teams and power‑unit providers within five minutes of the race‑start suspension. This rapid response helped minimise disruption and allowed the event to get back on track relatively quickly.
Looking ahead to the Singapore weekend, the FIA published a schedule of sessions and media events: - Friday, 9 October – 9:00 am: Singapore GP Practice (session starts at 9:30 am) - 11:30 am: Team Bosses' Press Conference - 1:00 pm: Singapore GP Sprint Qualifying (session starts at 1:30 pm) - Saturday, 10 October – 9:00 am: Sprint build‑up activities - 10:00 am: Singapore GP Sprint race - 1:00 pm: Qualifying build‑up - 2:00 pm: Singapore GP Qualifying - 4:00 pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook (analysis segment) - Sunday, 11 October – 11:30 am: Grand Prix build‑up - 1:00 pm: The Singapore Grand Prix proper begins - 3:00 pm: Chequered flag ceremony and post‑race reaction - 4:00 pm: Ted's Notebook (post‑race commentary) All of these sessions will also be broadcast on Sky Sports Main Event, with live streaming available via NOW without a long‑term contract and with the option to cancel at any time. In summary, the FIA’s swift investigation into the Sepang software glitch has resulted in concrete actions: reinstating proven configurations for future wet races, issuing a fresh software update for the United States Grand Prix, and tightening the testing regime for power‑unit software. These steps are intended to safeguard the integrity of race starts, prevent unnecessary delays, and ensure that drivers can compete safely even when the weather turns adverse.
The upcoming Singapore Sprint weekend will serve as the first real‑world test of these measures, and fans can expect a smoother, more reliable start to the action, whether the track is dry or drenched.