Was it 'unfair' not to penalise stricken F1 cars in Malaysia?

Key Points:

• Fernando Alonso criticized the decision to allow stricken cars to start the Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia despite a software bug causing multiple cars to stall, calling it unfair compared to how races are stopped for Aston Martin's own issues.
• The aborted start was due to a "software bug" affecting 2026 power units, leading to a reset of the starting order to the original grid for the successful restart, a move Alonso disagreed with despite finishing eighth.
• FIA regulations allow suspension of starting procedures and resetting order if track conditions are unsuitable after formation laps, which justified the decision to restart with the original grid rather than the order at the aborted start.
• Aston Martin's team officials and Mercedes' deputy team boss defended the FIA's decision as the only viable and sensible option under unprecedented circumstances, emphasizing clarity for viewers and fairness.
• Alonso acknowledged the software bug was an FIA issue beyond teams' control, contrasting with his own team's reliability problems causing his retirements, and indicated he might reconsider his opinion after FIA's explanation.