Max Verstappen’s Antivirus Joke About Brazil’s Rain Threat

Max Verstappen told the FIA press conference on Thursday that he has "installed antivirus" in his car ahead of a rainy Sao Paulo Grand Prix weekend.

The joke was a reference to the software bug that crippled nearly half the field during the formation laps of the season's first wet race in Malaysia.

That bug, linked to the FIA's 250kW power restriction for wet conditions, caused the electric motors on the 2026 power units to enter a lock-down mode at low speed.

With no electric power available to offset turbo lag, drivers pressed the throttle and got nothing.

Almost half the cars stalled on the grid during the formation laps behind the safety car.

The race was delayed for roughly 20 minutes while the FIA sent emergency software updates to teams and manufacturers.

Those updates lifted the restrictions in the most problematic minisectors, allowing the race to finally start.

The same emergency measure was applied again in Singapore.

A more permanent test with modified software followed at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin.

At that test, the FIA issued a statement explaining that teams would run a simulation at the end of FP1, with cars on low-grip mode and specific driver inputs during the in-lap.

The goal was to test additional software protections against the lock-down failure.

FIA single-seater director Nikolas Tombazis had already acknowledged in Malaysia that the bug only surfaced during the race because the FIA had not been able to carry out sufficient testing with the 2026 cars in wet conditions beforehand.

Asked by Motorsport.com whether he could guarantee the same bug would not recur, Tombazis said he could guarantee that specific bug would not happen again.

But he added that he could not rule out all bugs.

Now, with rain in the forecast for Sao Paulo, the question is back on the table.

During the FIA press conference, a reporter asked the drivers whether they were confident the Sepang debacle would not be repeated.

Verstappen picked up the microphone and said: "I have installed antivirus in my car, so I'll be fine!"

Racing Bulls driver Arvid Lindblad then said he hoped the issue had been resolved.

Verstappen picked up the microphone again and laughed: "You'll be on the same software, mate, so don't worry."

The exchange drew laughter in the room, but the underlying concern is real.

THE MALAYSIA DEBACLE

The Sepang race was the first wet-weather event for Formula 1's new 2026 power unit regulations.

Those regulations require a 250kW reduction in electrical power when the FIA declares wet conditions.

The purpose is to limit speed and improve safety on wet tracks.

But the software governing that restriction had a flaw that only revealed itself at very low speeds.

When cars slowed down in certain minisectors, the electric motors went into a protective lock-down mode.

That cut all electric drive, leaving drivers solely reliant on the internal combustion engine's turbo.

With no electric power to spool the turbo quickly, the throttle pedal effectively became unresponsive for several seconds.

Drivers reported pressing the gas and getting nothing — a dangerous situation on a race track.

The FIA reacted by sending new software to all teams mid-session.

Teams installed the update in their power units, and the race eventually got underway.

But the incident raised questions about testing procedures.

Tombazis admitted that the FIA had not been able to test the 2026 cars sufficiently in wet conditions before the season.

He said the bug was simply not discovered because the cars had not run in those specific conditions during pre-season testing.

The same emergency fix was applied in Singapore, where rain also interrupted the weekend.

Austin then served as a test bed for a more permanent software solution.

WHAT'S AT STAKE IN BRAZIL

The Sao Paulo Grand Prix has a history of unpredictable weather.

Interlagos is known for sudden tropical downpours that can turn the race into a lottery.

If rain arrives this weekend, the 2026 cars will face their first wet test since the software fixes were rolled out.