Second Singapore GP Sprint Qualifying issue emerges

SINGAPORE – A second systems issue disrupted Singapore Grand Prix Sprint Qualifying, with a timing fault causing problems with the display of lap times during SQ1.

While some of the field were impacted by reduced power modes during the final stages of SQ1, officials were also dealing with another issue.

How a timing system fault impacted Singapore GP qualifying

In the closing stages of SQ1, official timing screens appeared to malfunction.

That left several drivers with unrepresentative lap times and painted a clouded picture of the running order as the chequered flag waved.

The interruption proved brief, however, with the system quickly restored.

PlanetF1.com understands the Formula One Management-operated system experienced a fault that saw it revert to its backup systems.

While no timing information was lost, there was a visible break in the transmission of lap times during the incident.

Once the system switched to the backup solution, it remained there for the balance of the qualifying session.

The timing of the issue was coincidental, occurring as a “human error” occurred in race control where overtake mode was initially disabled following a red flag.

Cadillac driver Sergio Perez nosed into the barrier at Turn 4, damaging the front wing of his car which subsequently dropped debris on track.

Race control interrupted the session to retrieve the carbon detritus which sat on the racing line.

It was after the session’s resumption that the timing glitch appeared.

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It has been an eventful week for F1’s systems, with a software bug threatening to derail the Bahrain GP in Malaysia last weekend.

In that instance, the FIA quickly identified the issue and provided teams with patched software, which allowed the race to go ahead without further issue.

Earlier in the year, a timing issue in Monaco saw the result reach the International Court of Appeal.

An error in measuring a section of the Monaco pit lane resulted in incorrect average-speed calculations.

That saw a number of drivers penalised in-race, while Pierre Gasly was handed a post-race time penalty that bumped him from the podium.

A right of review resulted in those time penalties overturned, reinstating the Frenchman to the bottom step of the podium.

However, he was then stripped of that after the ICA ruled that, while the pit lane measurement was incorrect, it had to be uniformly applied and Gasly’s penalties should therefore have stood.

The timing system is managed by Formula One Management, which provides the service to the FIA under an arrangement that stretches back decades.

Additional reporting by Thomas Maher

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