The FIA officially acknowledged a second fault in the Singapore GP sprint qualifying, compounding the timing glitch that previously prevented some lap times from printing.
SQ1 Accident and Pause
During the first sprint‑qualifying period, Sergio Perez clipped the barrier at Turn 5, forced a red flag, and returned to the pits with a damaged front wing. The debris was cleared before the session resumed.
Missing Times and Power Issues
Once racing restarted, two anomalies surfaced: certain drivers’ lap times were not logged, and several complained that their power output felt lower than expected.
Driver Impact
The mishaps affected Carlos Sainz, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc, and both Aston Martin cars. Sainz remarked that half the field had a 0.5‑second advantage during their lap.
Human‑Error Explanation
An FIA spokesperson clarified that the problem lay not with software but with Race Control’s handling of Overtake Mode, the system that delivers an extra half‑megajoule of energy.
Overlap Mode Detail
After the red flag, Overtake Mode was disabled; it was re‑enabled only for a 27‑second window before shutting down again. The timing of the activation mismatched the affected drivers’ runs, altering their performance.
Broader Context
The oversight follows recent high‑profile incidents, including the Bahrain GP stoppage after a wet formation lap that caused power loss across the grid. FIA emphasized that sprint‑qualifying periods two and three remained unaffected.
Looking Ahead
With the event spilling into the race day, teams will closely scrutinize power delivery and timing protocols before the next oval showdown.
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