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Confusion at Silverstone: FIA Blames Failed Restart on 'Software Error'
Formula 1 fans at Silverstone saw the British Grand Prix finish without a restart following a late Safety Car period, with the FIA now explaining that a software glitch caused the confusion.
By Sanne Vermeer - 2026-07-05T16:22:42.000Z - 2 min read
This season's British Grand Prix had a turbulent final phase. Four laps from the end, Max Verstappen spun off into the gravel trap at Stowe, bringing out the Safety Car. This intervention triggered tense anticipation, with the expectation that the race would resume with a spectacular sprint to the finish line.
At the start of the penultimate lap, the message 'Safety Car In This Lap' indeed appeared on the monitors, a clear sign that a restart was imminent. To everyone's surprise, however, the Safety Car remained ahead of the field and subsequently led the drivers into the final lap as well. As a result, a restart never materialized, prompting audible displeasure from the massive crowd gathered at Silverstone.
The governing body FIA has since issued an explanation for this unusual situation. According to their statement, the Safety Car procedures—including Article B5.13.5, which mandates that one lap must be completed following the unlapping procedure—were correctly followed by race control. The miscommunication regarding the Safety Car entering the pits proved to be an unintended consequence of a software error within the systems.
This episode inevitably evokes memories of the controversial finale at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Back then, race director Michael Masi executed a rushed restart without fully adhering to the regulations, allowing only some of the lapped cars to unlap themselves and restarting a lap too early. That decision ultimately led to Masi's dismissal and a thorough overhaul of the Safety Car rules, specifically aimed at preventing similar confusion in the future.