Fernando Alonso strongly questioned Formula 1’s handling of the chaotic start procedure at Sepang after finishing eighth in the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, while also criticising the sport’s continuing difficulty with racing in wet conditions and what he described as “too much technology”.
The Aston Martin driver was particularly puzzled by the decision to stop the start procedure after three cars were left stranded away from their grid positions, arguing that similar incidents involving his own retirements had never prompted the same response.
Fernando Alonso questions Formula 1’s Sepang decision
In a Formula 1 environment where drivers’ public comments can often be carefully measured, Fernando Alonso has long been one of the notable exceptions. Throughout his career, the Spaniard has produced memorable team radio messages as well as forthright opinions once out of the car.
The 2026 season has so far been extremely difficult for Aston Martin, providing Fernando Alonso with further opportunities to voice his frustration both over the radio and when speaking to the media.
At Sepang, however, his criticism focused on Formula 1’s inability to race in heavy rain and on what happened before the start, when the procedure was stopped after three cars were left stranded: Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, Oliver Bearman’s Haas and a Cadillac.
“They will have to explain it to us because, honestly, this year I have retired in half of the races and they have never stopped the race because we retired,” Fernando Alonso said.
“But apparently Hamilton was stopped at the side of the track and there was a bit of panic, so they had to stop the race to allow him to restart. It was a bit strange.”
Fernando Alonso expects the drivers to receive further clarification at the next Grand Prix.
“But I imagine they will explain it to us in Singapore. There is also too much technology and the spectators don’t really appreciate it.”
Software issue contributed to unusual start problems
The incident was triggered after the extremely low speeds reached by some cars during the formation lap caused an error in the standard software, preventing power from being delivered again.
Fernando Alonso’s question, however, was aimed primarily at the decisions made by race control and therefore at the regulatory handling of the situation, rather than at the technical software problem itself.
His broader comment about Formula 1 having “too much technology” also led Fernando Alonso to explain another highly technical element of modern racing: how battery deployment helped him defend his position during the closing laps.
Fernando Alonso explains battery advantage against Lando Norris
Fernando Alonso managed to hold off attacks from Lando Norris late in the race, and afterwards explained how the different energy-management situations of the cars could have influenced the battle.
“I need to watch the race again, but I think that when you are involved in battles, like what happened to Lando with Nico, you use up the battery and then you spend two laps recharging it.”
Fernando Alonso, by contrast, had energy available when he needed it most.
“I had a fully charged battery during those two laps and I was using it on the straights. So I think these are also circumstances that can help you or penalise you, if you are able to understand them and read them during the race.”
Despite his criticism of the events surrounding the start, Fernando Alonso ultimately secured eighth place at Sepang. His comments nevertheless highlighted two recurring debates in modern Formula 1: how races should be managed in difficult wet-weather conditions and whether increasingly complex technology is making the sport harder for spectators to understand.
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