FIA launches British Grand Prix investigation after sprint race

Audi driver Nico Hulkenberg is under investigation by the FIA stewards for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage during the British Grand Prix sprint race.

Hulkenberg started and finished the sprint race in 13th place as Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli took victory.

Nico Hulkenberg under investigation by FIA over British Grand Prix sprint incident

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The Audi driver has found himself under investigation over an incident at Turn 9 – more commonly known as Copse – for leaving the track and gaining a lasting advantage.

Hulkenberg and an Audi team representative were required to visit the stewards at 1300 local time at Silverstone.

Qualifying for the main race is due to begin at 1600.

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Hulkenberg and teammate Gabriel Bortoleto had troubled starts to the sprint race, with the Brazilian cutting a frustrated figure after the race after falling from 12th on the grid to 14th at the chequered flag.

He said: “For me, it’s just again another race like this.

“I think in Austria we were able to do a decent start and this weekend it looks like we have not been able to do a single start yet.

“I think I dropped to P16 or P17 on Lap 1, and to recover all of that it’s a mess.

“So we need to fix this. It has already been a trend the whole year. Hopefully we find a solution.

“I know it’s not easy, but every time starting there and then going to the back, it’s not that we have that much pace advantage to be able to overtake everyone all the time.

“So we need to start putting these things together. We keep working.”

Asked about his own start to the sprint race, Hulkenberg said: “Not good.

“I think we both had the same problems – at least it looked like that from the car.

“So definitely some learnings there for tomorrow hopefully.”

Despite scoring just two points so far, Audi has enjoyed a respectable start to its debut season in F1 2026.

Bortoleto scored the team’s only points by finishing ninth at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix in March.

Hulkenberg is among four drivers yet to score in 2026 along with Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll and Cadillac teammates Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.

The German driver recorded a best finish of 11th at the Chinese and Japanese grands prix, with Hulkenberg finishing 12th at last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix.

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