Freddie Slater will take over Nico Hulkenberg’s Audi R26 for the opening practice session of the 2026 Brazilian Grand Prix on Friday, November 6. The 18-year-old driver already made his Formula 1 weekend debut in Mexico City last week.
However, his upcoming appearance at Interlagos will give him another opportunity to test himself against the demands of the sport’s top category. So, who is Slater?
Freddie Slater is a British racing driver who competes in the FIA Formula 3 Championship for Trident Motorsport. Born on August 9, 2008, he began his motorsport career in karting before moving into single-seater racing in 2023.
In January 2026, Audi signed Slater as the first driver in its Driver Development Programme. Former Formula 1 driver Allan McNish oversees the initiative, which supports young talents as they progress through the junior racing categories.
Slater will also join Invicta Racing for the 2027 Formula 2 season, marking his next step toward the top level of motorsport.
Slater made his official Formula 1 weekend debut at the 2026 Mexico City Grand Prix on Friday, October 30. Audi selected him to drive Gabriel Bortoleto’s car during FP1 as part of its rookie development program.
However, his first appearance did not go entirely to plan. A cooling fan was left attached to the car when Slater left the garage, resulting in an $8,700 fine for Audi. The incident also affected his track time during the session.
Nevertheless, the Mexico City outing gave him his first experience of an official Grand Prix weekend with current Formula 1 machinery. He now returns for his second FP1 appearance in Brazil, where he will drive a different Audi R26.
Formula 1’s rookie practice requirements explain Audi’s decision to give Slater the seat at Interlagos. Under the 2026 regulations, each full-time driver must give up two FP1 sessions during the season to an eligible rookie.
The rule gives young drivers opportunities to experience current Formula 1 cars while allowing teams to assess their progress. A driver qualifies as a rookie for this requirement if they have started no more than two Grand Prix races.
Audi planned two FP1 appearances for Slater during the Mexico City and Brazilian Grands Prix. He first replaced Bortoleto in Mexico and will now take Hulkenberg’s place in Brazil.
Therefore, the German driver will miss only the opening practice session before he returns to his regular duties for the remainder of the weekend.
Slater has collected several junior racing titles since his move from karting to single-seater competition. His 2026 Formula 3 campaign also added another major achievement to his record.
Here are his key results:
- 2023: Won the Ginetta Junior Championship.
- 2024: Secured the Italian Formula 4 and UAE Formula 4 championships.
- 2025: Won the Formula Regional European Championship (FRECA).
- 2026: Finished runner-up in the FIA Formula 3 Drivers’ Championship with Trident Motorsport.
His latest campaign included one Feature Race victory, three pole positions and eight podium finishes. He scored enough points to remain in the title fight until the final round but finished 14 points behind champion Ugo Ugochukwu.
Slater will have one hour in FP1 to work with Audi’s engineers and gather data from the R26 at Interlagos. The circuit features a mix of high-speed sections, elevation changes and technical corners, which will give him a different challenge from his Mexico City appearance.
Audi will focus on its planned testing program rather than expect it to match the pace of its regular drivers immediately. His feedback on the car’s balance, braking and handling will help the team assess its setup ahead of FP2.
Meanwhile, Slater will aim for a clean session with consistent laps and useful feedback. Unlike his first outing, he will also want to complete the planned run without technical interruptions.
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