FIA stewards investigate Audi drivers at COTA
FIA stewards have launched investigations into Audi drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto following incidents during the United States Grand Prix practice session. Bortoleto also faces a 20-place grid penalty due to exceeding power unit component limits.
Stewards investigate Audi drivers at COTA
The FIA stewards launched investigations into both Audi drivers, Nico Hulkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto, following separate incidents during the third practice session for the United States Grand Prix. Hulkenberg faces a summons regarding an alleged breach of a practice start incident involving Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin at 12:41 local time, which occurred 11 minutes into the session. Bortoleto faces a post-session investigation after he appeared to impede Lewis Hamilton. Hamilton was on a flying lap and had to brake hard into the sharp left-hander at Turn 12 because the slow-moving Audi was on the racing line. Hamilton abandoned the lap and expressed his frustration via team radio. While Hamilton topped the FP3 timesheet for the first time in two years, the incident involving the Brazilian driver was a clear error.
| Driver | Component | Penalty Type | Position Drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Control Electronics | Second unit over limit | 10 places |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Energy Store [ES] | Second unit over limit | 10 places |
| Gabriel Bortoleto | Internal Combustion Engine | Fourth unit of season | 0 places |
| Franco Colapinto | Control Electronics | Fourth unit of season | 10 places |
| Arvid Lindblad | Internal Combustion Engine | Sixth unit of season | 5 places |
Bortoleto faces heavy grid penalties
Bortoleto already faces a massive grid penalty for his power unit changes this weekend. Audi fitted his R26 with a fourth Control Electronics unit and a fourth Energy Store, which exceeds the season limit of three for each component. This results in a 20-place grid drop. He also took a new internal combustion engine, which is his fourth and final permitted unit for the season, meaning he incurs no additional penalty for that specific part. He also used a new turbocharger and a new exhaust, both of which fall within his 2026 allocation. Another driver, Franco Colapinto, takes a 10-place grid penalty for using a fourth Control Electronics unit. Arvid Lindblad faces a 5-place grid penalty because he used a sixth internal combustion engine, which exceeds the permitted four units.
