FIA Blames Software Error for British GP Safety Car Confusion

Errant message clouded Silverstone's final lap.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jul 51 min read

What happened: The FIA said a software error incorrectly displayed a “Safety Car In This Lap” message during the British Grand Prix. Race control kept the safety car deployed after a late Red Bull crash, and the race finished under caution.

Why it matters: Article B5.13.5 requires one full lap after the unlapping procedure before the safety car returns to the pits. The FIA said race operations followed that rule, but the erroneous message created expectations of a final-lap restart.

By the numbers: The crash occurred with six laps remaining. Charles Leclerc finished first, followed by George Russell and Lewis Hamilton.

What to watch: The FIA's review of the software failure and any resulting race-control changes will be the next focus.

Sources

@autosport 2026-07-05T16:48:27.503269+00:00

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