The FIA has officially admitted to a significant oversight during the Singapore Sprint qualifying session, confirming that a “human error” in Race Control left Overtake Mode unavailable for a portion of the field following a red-flag restart in SQ1.
The governing body clarified that this blunder was distinct from a separate technical failure involving the circuit’s timing systems, which had already caused a delay to the start of SQ2. According to the FIA, the Overtake Mode—a critical performance setting for drivers—was not activated upon the restart of the opening qualifying segment. Once the mistake was realized, officials enabled the mode for a mere 27 seconds before turning it off again.
“The FIA acknowledges that this unfortunate human error had an impact on the performance of certain cars based on the timing of their run and their position around the lap,” the official statement read. While the FIA maintained that the second and third segments of the sprint shootout were unaffected, they declined to identify which drivers were hampered or quantify the specific time loss suffered by those who navigated the circuit without the power boost.
The revelation has drawn immediate ire from the grid, with drivers questioning the integrity of the session. Carlos Sainz was particularly vocal, highlighting the disparity in performance created by the operational lapse. “Some of the cars did the lap with a half-second quicker engine than the others,” Sainz stated. “We were on the bad end of it. I’m a bit confused why the sport keeps doing different things depending on who is out in Q1.”
This incident marks yet another chapter in a series of high-profile operational hiccups for the sport’s governing body. The FIA has faced mounting criticism throughout the season following a string of technical and procedural failures. These include an incorrect Safety Car restart message at the British Grand Prix and a power-unit software failure at the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, which compromised cars during the formation laps in wet conditions.
While the FIA has confirmed the accuracy of the final lap times recorded in Singapore, the acknowledgment of a “human error” that fundamentally altered the playing field has left the paddock searching for answers regarding sporting fairness. Despite the protests from the drivers and the clear admission of fault, the FIA has not announced any changes to the final classification of the session.
To compound the chaotic day at Marina Bay, the event’s provisional pole-sitter, Max Verstappen, is currently under investigation for a separate alleged yellow-flag infringement involving Lewis Hamilton. As the FIA deals with the fallout from its own procedural failures, the scrutiny on Race Control continues to intensify, leaving questions about reliability and consistency lingering over the remainder of the Singapore weekend.
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