Source: Official Team Post via X
Audi Fined for Slater's Cooling Fan Mishap at Mexican GP
Audi has been fined €7,500 after Freddie Slater's car hit the track with a cooling fan still attached during FP1 in Mexico. The incident marked an eventful practice debut for the young driver.
Freddie Slater's Formula 1 practice debut with Audi at the Mexican Grand Prix was memorable for all the wrong reasons. The Audi F1 team was fined €7,500 after Slater’s car made its way onto the track with a cooling fan still stuck to the vehicle during FP1. Slater, fresh off a strong showing in the 2026 Formula 3 championship, was driving Gabriel Bortoleto’s R26 in Mexico as part of his progression with Audi.
Slater's session was off to a rocky start with this oversight. After finally getting on track halfway through the session, he was promptly called back to the pits when the cooling fan was spotted still attached to the car. The FIA stewards noted the incident and launched an investigation after the session.
Audi's day didn’t get any easier. Slater’s second attempt was also cut short due to another issue, prompting the team to instruct him to switch off the engine. Yet, persistence paid off; Slater returned to the track and managed to post a lap time, finishing 21st ahead of Colton Herta in the Cadillac.
The stewards explained the penalty by referencing a similar incident at the Australian Grand Prix earlier in the season. There, Mercedes faced the same fine after Kimi Antonelli's car was released with cooling devices that later fell off, one of which was struck by Lando Norris's McLaren.
In Mexico, Audi's representatives explained that upon realizing the fan was still attached, they checked with engineers who initially deemed it safe to continue. However, the team wisely decided to call Slater back to the pits. Despite the fan not detaching, the potential risk mirrored the Mercedes incident, leading to the same penalty.
While Slater’s first F1 practice session was not without its obstacles, it ended with the young driver gaining some valuable experience for his burgeoning career. Audi, on the other hand, walked away with a lighter wallet and a valuable lesson in attention to detail.