Teenager Freddie Slater to Get First F1 Car Run with Audi in Mexico City
Freddie Slater, an 18-year-old from Britain, will get his first taste of a Formula 1 car on a grand prix weekend. He will drive for Audi in first practice at the Mexico City Grand Prix on 30 October, according to BBC Sport.
First practice is the opening on-track session of a race weekend. Teams use it to test set-up and tyres before qualifying decides the starting grid. Slater will also take part in a second first-practice session for Audi at the São Paulo Grand Prix, a week after Mexico City.
Slater was the first driver brought into Audi's driver development programme after the German manufacturer entered Formula 1 this season. Allan McNish, Audi's racing director, also heads that programme. The scheme is designed to bring young drivers up through the ranks towards a seat on the grid.
Slater finished second on his Formula 3 debut this season, which is his first full campaign in the category. He is racing for Trident in the series, one step below Formula 2.
The next step is Formula 2. Slater will move up to the category in 2027 with the Invicta team. Invicta's Rafael Camara currently leads this year's Formula 2 championship, and he is set to move up to Formula 1 next season with the US-based Haas team.
For Slater, the Mexico City session is a chance to learn the rhythm of a full race weekend before his first season in Formula 2. The programme gives him a clear route from the junior ranks, and the next two weekends will show how he handles the step.
