The new Audi car driven by Gabriel Bortoleto came to a halt at Turn 10 with a little over an hour remaining in the morning session, triggering the second red flag of the day.

By that point, the Brazilian had completed 27 laps, with the cause of the stoppage yet to be confirmed.

Shortly before Bortoleto was forced to stop on track, Audi announced British sensation Freddie Slater as the first signing of its driver development programme.

The 17-year-old Briton arrives off the back of a dominant Formula Regional European Championship title, having previously secured a double crown in Italian F4 and the UAE series the year before.

Slater — who shares the same management as Lando Norris — is set to race in Formula 3 with Trident next season and will join the German manufacturer’s newly launched junior programme, headed by Allan McNish.