Drivers pressing the accelerator. Cars barely moving. An entire Grand Prix waiting on a software fix. What actually happened in Malaysia?
F1 journalist and published author Luke Smith joins Elle on Paddock 43 to unpack the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia. With more than a decade covering Formula 1, Luke writes for The Athletic, part of The New York Times, and is the author of On the Grid. He was on the ground at Sepang—and takes us inside the confusion, frustration and information gaps as the start unravelled.
We break down the software failure in plain English, how the 2026 power-unit regulations contributed, why testing missed it, and what the FIA’s rapid fix does—and doesn’t—resolve.
Plus:
• What journalists and teams knew during the delay
• The drivers’ reactions and the mood in the paddock
• Whether the 2027 and 2028 changes address F1’s underlying complexity
• Confidence in the fix heading into Singapore
• Luke’s tips for enjoying the Singapore Grand Prix as Elle prepares to head over
• The Qatar and Abu Dhabi calendar situation as understood at the time of recording
Read Luke’s article in The Athletic on The New York Times website:
[How computer software bugs led to F1’s Malaysia farce: ‘Totally unacceptable’] https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7658750/2026/10/04/bahrain-grand-prix-software-bugs-explainer/?unlocked_article_code=1.GFE.fUel.Yfz8vJ1fpKfm&source=emp_shared_article&smid=ta-ios-share
Explore Luke’s book:
On the Grid
Have F1’s cars become too complicated? Tell us what you think, and follow Paddock 43 for more F1 conversations, race reactions and paddock stories.
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