Calls have grown for Formula One to take a "hard look" at its regulations following the unprecedented software glitches that marred Sunday’s Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia.
The sport's new engine rules – which require a 50-50 balance between combustion and battery power – were already facing heavy criticism.
However, the controversial framework is back under scrutiny after multiple drivers suffered failures ahead of Sunday's rain-affected event, forcing the start to be abandoned. The race eventually began one hour and 33 minutes late.
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who temporarily broke down in his Ferrari, compared the embarrassing scenes to the Lego race prior to the British Grand Prix in July. Meanwhile, Mercedes driver George Russell said it "didn’t feel very F1", adding: "I would have been disappointed if I was in the stands and watching that unfold."
Williams’ Carlos Sainz – a director of the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association – has piled further pressure onto the sport.
The 32-year-old Spaniard, who previously drove for Ferrari and McLaren, said: "(F1) needs to have a hard look at themselves and see how we ended up in this situation.
"It is clear the regulations are extremely complicated for the drivers, for the teams, for the power units and for the manufacturers. Who decided five years ago that this was the direction to go?
"We are doing the best with what we are given as a sport and as regulations. The FIA and F1 are doing the best they can, but clearly what was decided four or five years ago was wrong. We need to learn as a sport not to make those mistakes again."
The FIA stated that it has launched a "full review" into the chaos after an "unprecedented combination of low engine speed, low-grip conditions, wet-weather energy management settings and the Sepang circuit’s sector configuration led to an unintended loss of power for a number of cars."
The F1 paddock now heads to Singapore for the final round of a triple-header. British driver Russell’s failure to finish in Malaysia leaves him 84 points behind team-mate Kimi Antonelli in the standings, with just seven scheduled rounds left and 183 points available.
