Audi Facing Double Investigation After Chaotic US GP Practice

Audi's weekend at the Circuit of the Americas has taken a turn for the worse, as both Gabriel Bortoleto and Nico Hulkenberg are under investigation for separate infringements during the final practice session. The double-header trip to the stewards highlights a turbulent Friday for the German outfit as they struggle to find their rhythm in Austin.

Why it matters:

For a team attempting to establish its footprint in the 2026 landscape, these procedural errors are more than just footnotes. While Hulkenberg's issue is technical, Bortoleto's impeding of a championship contender like Lewis Hamilton suggests a lack of situational awareness that could lead to costly penalties in a high-stakes race weekend, further compounding the team's operational growing pains.

The details:

• Nico Hulkenberg: The veteran is under scrutiny for an alleged breach during a practice start incident, which occurred approximately 11 minutes into the session.
• Gabriel Bortoleto: The rookie faces investigation for impeding Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton at Turn 12. Hamilton, who secured the top spot on the FP3 timesheet for the first time in two years, was forced to brake heavily while Bortoleto remained on the racing line.
• Existing Penalties: Bortoleto's situation is already dire; he enters qualifying carrying a staggering 80-place grid penalty following a double power unit change this weekend.

The big picture:

The contrast in momentum at COTA is stark. While Ferrari has completed a practice clean sweep—with Hamilton showing a return to peak form—Audi is struggling with both technical reliability and operational discipline. The massive penalty for Bortoleto effectively renders his qualifying position irrelevant, turning his weekend into a purely experimental exercise in reliability.

What's next:

The stewards will now determine if further penalties are warranted for the Audi duo. With the race approaching, the team must pivot from damage control to finding a stable baseline of performance to avoid a total washout in the United States.