Liam Lawson loses radio contact on the formation lap at Sepang after a weather delay, as a software bug stalls several cars. He still brings the car home seventh.

The failure occurs before leaving the pit lane, leaving Lawson unsure on run modes and procedures that modern 2026 machinery demands.

With no guidance, he scans the pit board on the main straight, receives a switch instruction, and changes a setting that restores two-way communication.

Meanwhile, the field circulates unusually slowly behind the safety car, triggering control software thresholds that cause power losses and stoppages, as confirmed by the FIA.

The disruption unsettles the start procedure and raises questions about start position changes, as drivers judge whether overtakes are permitted amid intermittent stoppages.

“I literally was like, I have no idea what’s going on,” Lawson says, describing the most isolated he has felt in a car.

Once reconnected, Lawson and his engineers quickly align on settings, yet the pack’s erratic pace keeps risk high through the restart phase.

The incident underlines how vital radio is for energy deployment, clutch bite, brake migration, and other parameter changes modern cars require on formation laps.

For Liam Lawson and Red Bull, the priority is eliminating single‑point failures and strengthening fallback signalling using pit boards and predefined switch maps.

Expect teams and officials to review low‑speed software behavior behind the safety car at the Sepang International Circuit to prevent repeat stoppages.

Despite the blackout, seventh is a composed result that banks points and showcases Lawson’s calm execution under uncertainty.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.