"I used the regulations," Fielder stated

BARCELONA—Leaving the Formula 1 paddock shocked, comedian Nathan Fielder has reportedly used a legal loophole to drive a Formula 1 car during the Spanish Grand Prix—as a driver of record.

According to documents obtained through a suspiciously well-formatted press kit, Fielder registered as “Nathan Fielder LLC,” a logistics consulting company that was somehow granted “non-commercial competition access” through a clause originally meant for promotional vehicle demos. Instead of performing the typical demo lap in a vintage car, Fielder strapped into a 2025 F1 chassis and joined the actual grid.

“Nobody really noticed until he started using the in-car radio to ask what all the buttons meant,” said McLaren strategist Lucia Fernandez. “He also asked if Lando would be interested in playing a fictional version of himself in a severely unsettling reality show called Chasing Piastri.”

The car, believed to be a spare chassis provided by a team that “wishes to remain anonymous,” completed 12 laps before anyone questioned the presence of a man doing 270 km/h with a laptop in the cockpit.

“I used the regulations,” Fielder stated during a post-race interview, visibly sweating through his borrowed fireproof suit, which was at least two sizes too big. “They said a corporate entity could conduct ‘testing’ during the event. And as someone who is constantly testing social limits, I qualified both literally and emotionally.”

Team principals were divided. “It’s absurd, but technically not illegal,” shrugged Red Bull’s Christian Horner. “Honestly, it’s the most convincing performance by a midfield driver we’ve seen all year. He might replace Yuki.”

Fielder, who was seen quietly blending into the background during team photos and consistently refusing to use more than 60% throttle, claims the act was part of a longform performance piece called The Lap of Legitimacy.

“I didn’t want to just watch F1,” he explained. “I wanted to become part of it—to immerse myself in a role no one asked for and no one could stop. That’s art.”

The FIA, when reached for comment, admitted they were unsure how to sanction someone who technically didn't violate any rules and isn’t affiliated with Formula 1 in any way. “We're launching a review,” said spokesperson Marco Bellini. “But let’s be honest—half our rules are written to unfairly punish drivers. We don’t know how to handle real exploits by geniuses like this.”

As for Fielder, he’s already planning his next move: entering Le Mans through a Garage 56 loophole designed as a victory for high-functioning introverts.

Whether loophole or legend, one thing is clear—Nathan Fielder is now the only man to legally pilot both a commercial airliner and a Formula 1 car, without once being qualified to do either.