FIA steps in at the last minute: Sepang pole position was on the wrong side of the track

Whoever sets the fastest time on Saturday will once again start on Sunday from the familiar spot on the right-hand side.

Observant team members are said to have noticed during their track walk on Wednesday that the grid layout differed from how it used to be. During previous editions of the Malaysian Grand Prix, pole was always on the right-hand side, but this time the best slot on the grid was on the left. The FIA discovered the mistake that same day during the official track inspection.

It was not the track's fault. Circuits receive documents in preparation that specify on which side pole should be. The Malaysian organizers were instructed to paint pole on the left and followed those instructions correctly. As a result, pole position ended up on the outside of the track instead of in the traditional spot on the right.

On Thursday, the mistake was corrected. The original first grid box was painted over in black, after which the numbering was recalculated starting from what had been the second position. The box that was previously P2 is now pole position, P3 became P2, and so on. The starting spots were thus reversed due to the error.

New numbers alone didn’t solve it. The incorrectly placed pole box was in front of the original start line. According to reports, that created issues with the distance between the line and the first grid box and with the timing system. Therefore, the start line was moved. The sporting regulations prescribe a minimum distance of one meter between the start line and the front grid box.

After the repairs, Sepang passed the circuit inspection on Thursday. Race director and safety delegate Rui Marques then gave the green light for the event. Formula 1 returns to the circuit this weekend for the first time since 2017, as a replacement for the Bahrain Grand Prix.

For the fight for pole, the correction comes at an important moment. Verstappen set the fastest time in the first free practice and Charles Leclerc was quickest in FP2. Mercedes' George Russell then called Verstappen the fastest over a single lap.

Thanks to the correction, the polesitter won’t start from the outside of the track, but from the right-hand side as in all previous Formula 1 races at Sepang.