Audi disputes Hülkenberg penalty after Colapinto battle

“Colapinto never hit the apex” was Audi’s argument in disputing the penalty given to Nico Hülkenberg at the Brazilian Grand Prix. On lap 48 at Interlagos, Hulkenberg was given a 10-second penalty after going off track and gaining an advantage at Turn 1 while contesting the final points-paying place with Alpine’s Franco Colapinto.

The call followed a contest shaped by changing conditions. Hülkenberg made his second pit stop on lap 44 and emerged behind Colapinto, who had not stopped since the end of lap 17. Audi argued that its driver had been forced wide at Turn 1; the stewards judged that he had left the track and gained an advantage.

Audi racing director Allan McNish explained why the team did not tell Hülkenberg to give the position back. He said the incident was difficult to assess, partly because the corner drops into a sequence and the location of the apex could be interpreted differently. McNish argued that Colapinto had also run wide, and said that by the time the team could review the incident, Hülkenberg had already pulled two seconds clear over the lap.

“You have to follow the FIA ruling. There’s no question. But it wasn’t clear for us that it wasn’t Nico’s corner — that’s the best way to put it,” McNish said. The shape of Turn 1 makes it difficult to pinpoint the apex, but the stewards judged that Hülkenberg had not met the required threshold. The driving guidelines say a car attempting an overtake must be controlled from corner entry to exit and must be able to complete the turn within track limits.

The incident comes amid a frustrating season for Audi. The team is eighth in the constructors’ championship, and circumstances have often kept it from turning its competitiveness into points in 2026. Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto have recorded ten 11th-place finishes between them. Poor starts have often cost the drivers track position.

In the drivers’ standings, Colapinto is 12th with 27 points, while Bortoleto is 14th and Hülkenberg 15th, both on 14 points. Audi is eighth in the constructors’ standings with 28 points, 624 behind Mercedes. Three rounds remain this season.