Bahrain GP (in Malaysia) Race Review

Key takeaways

• The formation lap exposed a power unit software flaw. Cars crawling behind the safety car at very low speed in the wet saw their turbos de-spool. The electrical system then could not fill the torque gap because of energy-deployment limits meant to prevent accidental traction control. Hamilton was flooring the throttle and barely moving. The FIA later confirmed an "unprecedented combination" of low engine speed, low grip, wet-weather energy settings and Sepang's sector layout. It pushed a software update to every team during the rain delay and promised a full review. The hosts want the 2026 power units scrapped and V8s brought forward from 2031.
• Ferrari's dry-tyre gamble nearly wrecked their race. Both Ferraris and both McLarens started on dries. Piastri pitted before the start and was 35 seconds clear of Norris by lap six. Hamilton and Leclerc stayed out and were about a minute off the lead by lap five. The hosts back the idea of trying dries but criticise Ferrari for not switching before the start. A later safety car brought them back into play, and they finished third and fourth.
• Verstappen won despite a messy weekend. He had a steering problem before the start, a poor launch (he was battling Liam Lawson into turn two) and two safety cars that erased his lead. He still passed Russell and Antonelli and held on through the final restart. His run since Austria is second, a Silverstone retirement, third, third, second, a Zandvoort DNF, third, second, second, then a win. He is level with Norris and three points behind Leclerc, and the hosts raise the possibility of a fight for second in the championship.
• Russell's retirement does not make Antonelli lucky. Russell's engine failed late, so Antonelli gained 18 points instead of 3. The hosts say Antonelli has been quicker than Russell in far more races, and Russell can count on one hand the times he has been faster. Russell also surrendered the place at the start without much resistance. Antonelli now leads by 84 points.
• Alonso and Aston Martin looked genuinely improved. Alonso started on dries, recovered and finished eighth on pace, helped by the upgraded Honda engine. Lance Stroll took twelfth. Alonso also complained after the race that Hamilton was allowed to restart in second after the aborted start, while his own earlier stoppages got no help. The hosts agree it would have been far more controversial in a title fight.
• Malaysia should return. The hosts praise Sepang for its two-line corners and overtaking, citing Alonso's switchback on a Red Bull Powertrains car. They say fans struggled to leave the circuit. They also criticise F1 TV for showing midfield passes in the mini-box, and argue Formula One should keep a track like this for the sport's soul rather than chase Vegas money.

Notable moments

• Esteban Ocon told French TV the cars are "remote control cars" and that he "had to restart Windows."
• Lando Norris misjudged the safety car restart and ended up in the gravel. He nearly hit Piastri, and the hosts say it was entirely his fault.
• At the podium, the Dutch national anthem was missing, so the crowd sang the unofficial Verstappen "do-do-do" song.
• The prediction scores stand at 51-36 to Tom Bellingham. Matt missed a possible six-point swing when Ferrari finished third and fourth.
• Antonelli almost took a drive-through penalty by running wide around the bollard at the corner. He went to the left of it, and no investigation followed.
• The cool-down room footage was dominated by drinking and slurping noises from the sensitive microphones.
• Part of the transcript is garbled around the 58-minute mark, and a number of sponsor segments are mixed in, so the discussion there is incomplete.

Time saved: 1 hour, 7 minutes.