Before fully immersing himself in the world of Formula 1, Jordan worked in IT for several years. In his mid-twenties, however, he decided to change course and pursue his passion for motorsport. Today, Jordan is an editor at GPblog, where he combines his love for the sport with his talent for languages. Thanks to his multilingual skills, he provides international fans with the latest F1 news every day.
The Malaysian Grand Prix not only delivered a victory for Max Verstappen, but also sparked significant criticism of Formula 1. Helmut Marko calls the software issues that affected multiple cars during the formation lap “embarrassing.”
Marko calls software issue “embarrassing”
The start of the Malaysian Grand Prix was delayed after several drivers experienced a significant loss of power during the formation lap. In the end, a software issue in the new power unit proved to be the cause. Marko finds it striking that such an error could occur in Formula 1.
“The fact that a high-tech product like Formula 1 is brought to a halt by a software problem is already embarrassing,” Marko told oe24. At the same time, he also sees a positive side to the situation. “On the other hand, this fiasco helps us to rethink things.”
The Austrian would also have preferred to see an actual wet race. According to Marko, the wait before the race finally got underway was too long. “I was looking forward to a real rain race, but they waited too long for that.”
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Photo: Race Pictures
Marko impressed by Verstappen and Red Bull
Despite the criticism, Marko ultimately enjoyed how the Grand Prix unfolded. In Malaysia, Verstappen claimed his first victory of the season and delivered Red Bull Ford Powertrains their first win with their own engine.
“I was rooting for Max and for Red Bull with that first victory using their own engine,” says Marko. “It’s impressive what they’ve achieved there. Just think how long it took Honda back then.”
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According to Marko, Malaysia once again showed what Verstappen is capable of. He says the Dutchman had already made a strong impression during practice and ultimately converted that speed into his first victory of 2026.
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