Mekies calls for tighter control of F1 complexity after Malaysia software fault

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has called for Formula 1 to keep the complexity of its cars and electronic systems under control after the software failure that disrupted Sunday's Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. Speaking on Monday, Mekies said the incident should prompt discussions between teams, the FIA and F1, according to BBC Sport's Andrew Benson.

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Mekies described the disruption as a reminder that technical complexity must not become unmanageable. He said he expected talks about preventing similar situations and keeping the systems within manageable limits. His comments followed the FIA's decision to launch a full review after several cars struggled to move during formation laps before the race could start.

BBC Sport reported that the fault involved an engine software setting for wet weather. The original start was abandoned and revised software was issued, with the race eventually beginning an hour and a half behind schedule. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton were among the drivers whose cars lost power before the start. Limited wet running this season meant the particular conditions that exposed the bug had not previously occurred.

The technical background centres on restrictions governing electrical power. In wet conditions, the permitted output falls from 350kW to 250kW, a reduction that BBC Sport identified as the rule involved in Sunday's problem. This season's engines divide power almost equally between combustion and electricity, with batteries repeatedly deploying energy and recharging during a lap. The regulations also include detailed limits on how that energy is used.

Williams driver Carlos Sainz, a director of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, also challenged the earlier decisions behind the formula. He said the regulations had become extremely complicated for drivers, teams and manufacturers. Sainz distinguished those original choices from the work now being done, saying the FIA and F1 were trying to make the best of the regulations they had been given.

Changes to the engine rules are already under way. BBC Sport reported that permitted energy recovery now varies according to the demands of each circuit, while the combustion-electricity balance is due to move towards 60-40 in two stages by 2028. Teams and F1 executives are also working on a future engine formula; the report did not present that longer-term design as finalised.