FIA Corrects Bizarre Grid Marking Blunder at Sepang

The FIA has been forced to make an urgent alteration to the starting grid at the Sepang International Circuit ahead of the race weekend. The governing body had to step in following an unusual blunder regarding the layout of the track's pole position.

The pole position slot had initially been painted on the left-hand side of the main straight, leaving the polesitter on the outside line rather than the traditional racing line on the right. The oversight was spotted during final preparations ahead of Formula 1's return to the circuit outside Kuala Lumpur.

The discrepancy was caused by a miscommunication in the documentation sent to circuit organizers. While Sepang track workers followed their instructions to the letter, race control and FIA officials immediately flagged the error upon arriving on-site.

The governing body quickly ordered the restoration of the circuit's historical configuration, which places the polesitter on the right. The incorrect markings were removed and redrawn, turning what was originally marked as second place into the new pole position slot, with the remaining grid boxes renumbered accordingly.

The fix also required moving the start line itself. Because the misplaced first slot was located too far forward relative to the line, there were concerns about race distance discrepancies and timing system accuracy, prompting the line's relocation during the remedial work.

All circuit alterations were finalized on Thursday, allowing Sepang to successfully pass its official track inspection ahead of the on-track sessions. The bizarre hiccup marks Formula 1's return to the Malaysian venue for the first time since 2017.