Overview
- Heavy monsoon rain at Sepang delayed the race start and left large flooded sections of track, forcing race control to assess conditions and stage an extended formation‑lap sequence on Sunday.
- During the formation lap several cars lost drive or failed to respond to throttle, with some drivers stopping on track and race control recalling the field to the pit lane for safety.
- The FIA Technical Department removed an energy limit in affected sectors and distributed an on‑car software update to restore power before the race was restarted, a move the federation says it will examine further with teams and power‑unit makers.
- After multiple safety‑car periods and tyre switches from wets to slicks, Max Verstappen took the victory, Kimi Antonelli finished second and extended his championship lead when George Russell retired late with a technical problem, while Lewis Hamilton recovered to third.
- Drivers and teams publicly criticised the incident and questioned modern cars' reliance on complex electronics, and officials face scrutiny over safety and strategy decisions made in wet conditions and during the unexpected software intervention.