FIA forced into late grid change at Bahrain Grand Prix after pole position error

The starting grid for the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix had to be changed at the very last moment after an administrative mix-up led to pole position being painted on the wrong side of the track.

During inspections and track walks ahead of race weekend at Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, vigilant team members and FIA officials noticed that the first grid slot had been positioned on the left side of the straight instead of the traditional right.

Local Malaysian workers had simply followed written instructions which mistakenly indicated the left side, and once the governing body reviewed its own document, it became clear that an urgent fix was needed.

READ MORE: FIA confirms double punishment after Lewis Hamilton investigation at Bahrain Grand Prix

FIA steps in after administrative blunder

Track officials sprang into action on Thursday as they removed the erroneous markings and repainted the starting grid, moving the pole position back to its customary spot on the right.

All other grid slots and numbers were realigned accordingly but this correction revealed another issue - the official start line was too close to the adjusted pole position.

According to the sporting regulations, there must be a precise one-metre gap between the start line and the first grid slot. Since the initial adjustments did not meet this requirement, officials also had to move and repaint the start line slightly further forward.

Fix in place, and race weekend is a go

Despite the hectic last-minute repairs, Sepang passed the official inspection on Thursday without further problems. Race director and safety delegate Rui Marques gave the green light following final checks, officially declaring the track ready for Round 16 of the 2026 world championship.

This is the first time Malaysia has figured on the F1 calendar since 2017 after stepping in to host the rescheduled Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend.

Oops! 😅

Race officials had to make a last-minute fix today after it emerged that pole position had been painted on the wrong side at Sepang: pic.twitter.com/1X0BUAGi3N

— The Race (@wearetherace) October 1, 2026

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