Alpine reserve Aron to replace Hulkenberg and Bortoleto in Audi's Barcelona and Austria FP1 sessions

Paul Aron will represent Audi in two Friday practice sessions this season, taking over Nico Hulkenberg’s R26 at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix before replacing Gabriel Bortoleto at the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring — fulfilling the team’s mandatory rookie FP1 obligations under Formula 1’s regulations.

Audi confirmed the appointments in an official statement, describing the outings as an opportunity for Aron to gain “valuable track time” as the Estonian “continues to build experience in Formula 1 machinery while contributing to the team’s on-track programme.”

Aron, who finished third in the 2024 Formula 2 championship, is no stranger to the Audi setup. He previously drove for the team when it operated under the Sauber name in 2025 and also served as a test driver for the squad during that period. Once the two sessions are complete, he will return to his primary role as one of Alpine’s reserve drivers.

The Barcelona round will see a cluster of rookie activity on Friday. Aron is joined on track by Luke Browning, who will run with Williams, and Leonardo Fornaroli, who will make his Formula 1 debut with McLaren in the same session.

Under 2026 regulations, every team on the grid must field rookie drivers in two practice sessions per car across the season. The sole exception is Racing Bulls, who are only required to replace Liam Lawson — his team-mate Arvid Lindblad already satisfies the rookie quota by virtue of his own status.