Source: Official Team Post via X
Audi Penalized Twice at Mexican GP for Regulatory Breaches
Audi faced two separate fines totaling €12,500 during the Mexican Grand Prix. The infractions involved releasing a car with a cooling fan attached and improperly covering a car component.
Audi didn't have the smoothest of Fridays at the Mexican Grand Prix, as they were hit with two fines by the FIA, amounting to a hefty €12,500. The first fine, €7,500, was due to an oversight in FP1 when Freddie Slater's car was released onto the track with a cooling fan still attached. It was a mistake that didn't go unnoticed by the FIA stewards, who promptly issued the penalty.
Later in the day, Audi found themselves under the stewards' scrutiny once more after FP2. This time, they were investigated for covering parts of Gabriel Bortoleto's car, which is against Article B3.3 of the FIA regulations. The issue arose when Audi staff moved the floor of Bortoleto’s R26 across the garage while it was concealed under a large sheet. Additionally, they used another sheet to obscure the car while mechanics worked on it.
The stewards concluded that these actions violated Article B3.3.1 and slapped Audi with an additional €5,000 fine. The team acknowledged the breach, explaining that the odd garage setup forced them to transport the floor through an area visible to others, prompting them to cover it. However, this explanation did not sway the stewards, who maintained that the circumstances did not exempt Audi from the regulations.
Bortoleto's day went from bad to worse as he managed only 12 laps in FP2 due to a floor change, finishing at the back of the pack. Meanwhile, his teammate Nico Hulkenberg ended the session in 15th place, trailing the session leader, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, by 1.196 seconds.
The first fine of the day was linked to Slater's brief stint on track with the fan still attached. According to the stewards, the team realized the error, consulted their engineers, and decided to call Slater back to the pits. Although the fan did not detach, the potential risk was enough to warrant a penalty, similar to a previous incident in Australia.
All in all, it was an expensive lesson in regulatory compliance for Audi, who will be hoping for a smoother ride in the remaining sessions.