F1 Drivers Slam 'Horrible' Software Glitch That Delayed Bahrain GP
Powerless F1 drivers frustrated by Bahrain F1 software glitch
A software bug in the power unit controller's wet weather mode left multiple cars stuck in idle during formation laps at the wet Sepang circuit, forcing a 50-minute delay. The FIA hastily coded a patch for all 11 teams. Lando Norris called it 'horrible' and proof F1 should abandon hybrids, while Sergio Perez branded it 'totally unacceptable' for the sport.
It's just horrible. I don't know, it just proves that we shouldn't have any of that stuff, the electronic side.
- rurban
What they didn't write is that a seperate company Ilmore provides the ECU's for all cars, for decades. Ilmore most likely caused this bug, and they simply turned off this buggy config setting. Ex-F1 technician
- jey
Seems wild that they can code and deploy an update of a critical-seeming component in the field like that. I thought such a firmware update would need extensive QA in the lab, along with root causing why this bug slipped through their processes anyway.
But maybe that's the difference between shipping a controller for F1 versus shipping one for an industrial or consumer product? shrug.
- jrflo
A question for someone who knows more about F1: Is this firmware shared by all cars? Or some local server at the track the cars connect to? Why is F1 able to control individual cars like this? The article is very light on details as to what exactly is going on...
- nickcw
Here is the team radio of Lewis Hamilton literally turning his car off and in again on the formation lap!
- MBCook
I just finished watching the race. The start was certainly a callback to the start of the season when cars were dropping like flies and having constant odd problems.
- algoth1
I can't not read it as "They vibe coded a patch in 50 minutes". Had they used Sol 6.1 they would still be waiting
- unglaublich
> Lando Norris calling the electronic glitches "horrible" and further proof that F1 should move away from hybrids.
But the human fireballs, deaths and suffering of gasoline-related accidents are no proof that F1 should move away from gas-power?
- aetherspawn
Auto software engineer here.
It’s frankly because Motorsport software guys are pretty arrogant. They look down on road car and truck engineers, but reality is they develop stuff with virtually no processes and they usually have only very basic engineering skills, yet every day they are told Motorsport is at the forefront of technology.
“Motorsport grade” auto components usually means crappy, and everything requires a software patch or constant maintenance to work correctly.
Not surprised there was a bug, and not surprised they were able to develop and deploy a patch in 1 hour without V&V testing it or anything.