FIA blames human error for Singapore Sprint qualifying glitch
The FIA has confirmed that a Race Control mistake affected cars during Singapore Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying, adding to a separate glitch that left some lap times missing from the timing system. Overtake Mode was unavailable after the SQ1 restart, then activated for 27 seconds before being switched off again.
The problem followed a red flag triggered when Sergio Perez hit the barrier at Turn 5. Perez got out of the damaged car and returned to the pits, shedding his front wing on the way. Race Control paused the session while debris was cleared.
Overtake Mode was briefly restored after the restart
The FIA said the Overtake Mode issue was unrelated to the timing-system failure. The system gives drivers access to an additional half-megajoule of energy, and its availability can affect both lap time and tyre preparation on an out-lap.
In a statement, the governing body said the mode was not active when SQ1 resumed. Race Control then enabled it once the problem was noticed, but only for 27 seconds before deactivating it. The FIA acknowledged that the mistake affected some cars, depending on when they were running and where they were on the lap. The second and third qualifying periods were not affected.
The disruption is one of the issues covered in our Singapore circuit map report, which looks at the event’s Straight Mode zones.
Sainz and other drivers were caught out in SQ1
Carlos Sainz, eliminated in SQ1, reported brake trouble and said his car had managed only one lap. He also described a difference in power between cars, believing that roughly half the field had been running with a substantial advantage. At the time, drivers had been told the power issue was FIA-related, prompting speculation that it was another software failure.
The FIA’s explanation instead points to the temporary Overtake Mode error. Sainz, Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc and both Aston Martin drivers were understood to have been affected. The separate timing fault meant some drivers’ laps were not recorded on the system.
The incident follows another high-profile operational failure at the previous weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, which was paused after a formation lap when cars lost electrical power in wet conditions. For more from the venue, see our Singapore qualifying coverage.
Simone Scanu
He’s a software engineer with a deep passion for Formula 1 and motorsport. He co-founded Formula Live Pulse to make live telemetry and race insights accessible, visual, and easy to follow.