Formula One drivers delivered a scathing critique of the current engine regulations following chaotic scenes at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. The race opened with numerous cars unable to accelerate due to software issues in the electronics controlling the engines, leading to farcical situations on track.

Max Verstappen of Red Bull claimed victory in Sepang, but not before a series of embarrassing incidents where multiple cars struggled to complete even two formation laps in wet conditions.

Kimi Antonelli, the championship leader from Mercedes, described the situation as "insane," noting, "At some point we were five-wide in the straight, because we couldn’t understand what was going on."

Lewis Hamilton also encountered issues, stating, "I had to stop on-track, stop the car, the engine, and restart it. I’ve never done that before." Verstappen reiterated his discontent with the engine regulations, expressing hope that lessons would be learned from the incident.

The problems stemmed from software inadequately tested in low-grip conditions, leading to what the FIA termed an "unintended loss of power." The race start had to be aborted, resulting in a 53-minute delay as cars returned to the pit lane for software updates, drawing criticism from the drivers.

Lando Norris, the defending world champion from McLaren, called the situation "just horrible" and criticized the sport's direction, suggesting electronic elements should be minimized.

Carlos Sainz from Williams echoed these sentiments, questioning the complexity of the regulations and urging the sport to reevaluate its choices from years past.

While the FIA quickly addressed the software issue, director Nikolas Tombazis admitted the regulations had caught them off guard due to insufficient testing in wet conditions. He noted that the combination of circumstances led to a significant bug affecting power deployment.