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F1 Malaysia case: was it right not to penalise stricken cars?
At Sepang, the FIA allowed cars without a qualifying time to race, prompting a debate over sporting fairness.
5 October 2026 1 min read 1 views
Sepang once again sparked debate over how cars stopped by technical problems during qualifying should be treated. The stewards allowed them to take part in the race without an additional penalty, after checking that their pace in earlier sessions was sufficient.
The decision followed the rules, which give the FIA discretion in exceptional circumstances. However, questions over fairness remain: a failure prevented the drivers from securing a grid position, while their rivals had to clear the qualifying cut-off in the usual way.