Freddie Slater

[mattikake]

Needs his own thread. I'm putting this in the F1 section because he's so blatantly going to be in F1 and in this weekend it was made clear he intends to go that route, unlike say Dan Cammish who wasted himself going into tintops (funding i know).

Been following this boy for a while and he's just started Ginetta Juniors and is simply kicking ass, as you have to in the lower formula. He's starting on pole and winning virtially every race - something like 11/13 (including losing one due to a 5 sec penalty) and has some 100 point lead already in the championship. Pretty good given the slipstream dynamics and chaos of these cars. This is better than Lando Norris managed

He has speed, even for the youngest in the field, but what impressed me last weekend was his racecraft. In one race he went from 12th to 1st in under 3 laps (all fair overtakes). Lol. Another 4th to 1st in 2 corners. He was passing inside, outside, double overtakes, on the brakes. He has an understanding of momentum that others around him don't. Commentators were saying he just seems to find himself in the right place at the right time. But when you continually do it, it's not luck... as far as I can see, he is the next British hope. I see a bright F1 future of Slater and Kimi Antonelli battling for championships.

I recommend you have a look at the Ginetta TV youtube channel and have a look at these races.

[StevieBee]

He is very good. He's with a decent management outfit and appears to have some serious backing so the ducks are lining up nicely for him.

For balance though, I remember thinking the same about Marcus Erickson in Formula BMW and Max Chilton in T-Cars back in the day.

[Derek Smith]

Watching it now.

Saturday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g7MUzB9Dt4&t=...

Junior 5.40.00

Sunday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn6-knTHujo

Junior 3.50.00

Good driving on his behalf. Impressive. However, F1? A bit early, and by a bit, I mean a lot. He has a considerable number of hurdles to overcome, and that's assuming he has the commitment, let alone funding.

I'm a big Ginetta fan and have had a couple of Walklett Bros-designed ones. Alluded to in the commentary, they were frequently stunners.

These Championships could have so easily been TVRs. All it needed was a bit better timing. There was an offer on the table but some idiot came along. Ironically, the more senior races reminded me of the Tuscan Challenge.

[Petrus1983]

I'd certainly say too early - so so much can happen. Ironically yesterday I found the official classification from Piquet Jr's first F3 race - there's some very good drivers on there that made it to F3 but certainly not to F1.



Even at F3 level the Piquet family brought a different level of professionalism including A4 info cards (double sided for 2 languages) -



They were also close to Frank Williams who was in their pit garage that day.

Anyway - looks like he's fast and hopefully enjoying it. And also hope this threat comes back to bite me.

Edited by Petrus1983 on Wednesday 7th June 09:16

[marine boy]

Ginetta Juniors, wish him the bestvif luck but he's wasting a year of climbing up the championship ladder if his plan is to compete in F1

[PhilAsia]

Derek Smith said:

Watching it now.

Saturday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g7MUzB9Dt4&t=...

Junior 5.40.00

Sunday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kn6-knTHujo

Junior 3.50.00

Good driving on his behalf. Impressive. However, F1? A bit early, and by a bit, I mean a lot. He has a considerable number of hurdles to overcome, and that's assuming he has the commitment, let alone funding.

I'm a big Ginetta fan and have had a couple of Walklett Bros-designed ones. Alluded to in the commentary, they were frequently stunners.

These Championships could have so easily been TVRs. All it needed was a bit better timing. There was an offer on the table but some idiot came along. Ironically, the more senior races reminded me of the Tuscan Challenge.

He is very capable at moving the balance around and is especially cool, calculating and clear-headed in the thick of it. He has a very good future ahead of him by the looks of it but, like you say, far too early to tell if he is F1 material.

Love the Ginetta series - as does my Filipina wife - and we used to watch it together a while back. She likes the G20 shape (it is one of her favorite cars) and enjoys the racing.

She does not watched F1 since a few hundred metres from the finish line in AD and immediately lost interest. But Goodwood, Ginettas, Caterhams, etc are still on her radar.

[entropy]

StevieBee said:

He is very good. He's with a decent management outfit and appears to have some serious backing so the ducks are lining up nicely for him.

If that's the case shouldn't he be jumping straight into single seaters? Ginetta Juniors is generally for those on a budget.

[StevieBee]

entropy said:

StevieBee said:

He is very good. He's with a decent management outfit and appears to have some serious backing so the ducks are lining up nicely for him.

If that's the case shouldn't he be jumping straight into single seaters? Ginetta Juniors is generally for those on a budget.

Possibly... and may well do. Ginetta Juniors and similar provide some decent grounding in race craft and car set up. Even entry level single seaters, you need a decent team behind you so if one's not available, better to stick where's at at the moment.

[mattikake]

StevieBee said:

Possibly... and may well do. Ginetta Juniors and similar provide some decent grounding in race craft and car set up. Even entry level single seaters, you need a decent team behind you so if one's not available, better to stick where's at at the moment.

Too young. He moved to the GJs because it was the easiest step to try something beyond karts. He's still only 14yo and the youngest in that field. He's still got senior karting to do so he's not progressed out of that yet. Give him time. I reckon he'll be in F4 next season.

[thegreenhell]

Indeed, the minimum age for F4 is 15, and other series it's 16, so Ginetta Juniors is just about the only car racing a 14 y/o can do.

[StevieBee]

thegreenhell said:

Indeed, the minimum age for F4 is 15, and other series it's 16, so Ginetta Juniors is just about the only car racing a 14 y/o can do.

Is Minicross and Grasstrack still a thing?

[PhilAsia]

StevieBee said:

thegreenhell said:

Indeed, the minimum age for F4 is 15, and other series it's 16, so Ginetta Juniors is just about the only car racing a 14 y/o can do.

Is Minicross and Grasstrack still a thing?

It is in my household , but I'm sure you meant are there still events..., to which I can onlyy answer I don't know without checking.

Edit: yes

MC: http://www.mini-cross.co.uk/

GT: https://www.dirthub.co.uk/2023-british-grasstrack-...

Edited by PhilAsia on Wednesday 7th June 19:16

[DanCam]

mattikake said:

Needs his own thread. I'm putting this in the F1 section because he's so blatantly going to be in F1 and in this weekend it was made clear he intends to go that route, unlike say Dan Cammish who wasted himself going into tintops (funding i know).

Been following this boy for a while and he's just started Ginetta Juniors and is simply kicking ass, as you have to in the lower formula. He's starting on pole and winning virtially every race - something like 11/13 (including losing one due to a 5 sec penalty) and has some 100 point lead already in the championship. Pretty good given the slipstream dynamics and chaos of these cars. This is better than Lando Norris managed

He has speed, even for the youngest in the field, but what impressed me last weekend was his racecraft. In one race he went from 12th to 1st in under 3 laps (all fair overtakes). Lol. Another 4th to 1st in 2 corners. He was passing inside, outside, double overtakes, on the brakes. He has an understanding of momentum that others around him don't. Commentators were saying he just seems to find himself in the right place at the right time. But when you continually do it, it's not luck... as far as I can see, he is the next British hope. I see a bright F1 future of Slater and Kimi Antonelli battling for championships.

I recommend you have a look at the Ginetta TV youtube channel and have a look at these races.

I appreciate the comment and you are right budget was my key issue. That and my age. I didn’t race a car until I was 20 and for that reason was too old to really rise the single seater ranks. Also it took me a while without big backing to find myself in the right place to show what I could do, by which point I was too old for any young driver programs.

Anyway enough about me. From what I hear Freddie is super talented and has strong backing. So expect to see him rise the single seater ranks over the next few years. Also he has good people around him which is important. If he can get into the right single seater teams I think we will be hearing a lot about him.

Good luck to him.

Cheers

[mattikake]

DanCam said:

I appreciate the comment and you are right budget was my key issue. That and my age. I didn’t race a car until I was 20 and for that reason was too old to really rise the single seater ranks. Also it took me a while without big backing to find myself in the right place to show what I could do, by which point I was too old for any young driver programs.

Anyway enough about me. From what I hear Freddie is super talented and has strong backing. So expect to see him rise the single seater ranks over the next few years. Also he has good people around him which is important. If he can get into the right single seater teams I think we will be hearing a lot about him.

Good luck to him.

Cheers

Cool. I didn't know you were on here. I was watching you white wash the opposition in lower formula (was 24 wins out of 24 in FF?). Looked really promising. The kind of dominance I look for with up and coming talent. (I also saw Hamilton coming in F Renault and Norris in GJ's. Singled them out straight away). But BTCC... I find it too hard to watch. It used to be great in the 80's/90's but the format is too plastic now (reverse grid order pulled out of a hat FFS!) and it's almost impossible for real talent to shine the way it should.

You and Sutton should be in a better series.

Anyway imo Freddie so far is right at this level. In lower formula you need to destroy the opposition in speed and racecraft as well as, maybe even more so, than with results.

My main concern with Freddie is he doesn't go on a growth spurt. He's not exactly small at 14yo already.

[mattikake]

Still on course. https://www.youtube.com/live/xHBEGM0sda4?feature=s...

He shouldn't have won this race, but some measured aggression at the right time...

Now equalling the record for the most wins in GJ's, with still half a season to go. Setting new records is just what lewis used to do.

[anonymous-user]

He looks very smooth and that race at Silverstone was impressive, clearly a good karting background because those moves into Brooklands were clean and well executed.

Looks like he has some financial backing though, managed by ADD, previously running a couple of series in 2019 with Ricky Flynn which is not going to be cheap. He’s obviously going to be competitive in what ever he drives…..

…..But there are just 20 F1 seats, that may rise in the future but until it does, he’s up against state-funded drivers, ultra rich daddies boys and the very best. Good luck to him, obviously I see the appeal of F1 but if I were in that position, I’d be in GTs/WEC in a heartbeat.

[Piginapoke]

Should be in Club Motorsport section not F1?

[SpeckledJim]

mattikake said:

DanCam said:

I appreciate the comment and you are right budget was my key issue. That and my age. I didn’t race a car until I was 20 and for that reason was too old to really rise the single seater ranks. Also it took me a while without big backing to find myself in the right place to show what I could do, by which point I was too old for any young driver programs.

Anyway enough about me. From what I hear Freddie is super talented and has strong backing. So expect to see him rise the single seater ranks over the next few years. Also he has good people around him which is important. If he can get into the right single seater teams I think we will be hearing a lot about him.

Good luck to him.

Cheers

Cool. I didn't know you were on here. I was watching you white wash the opposition in lower formula (was 24 wins out of 24 in FF?). Looked really promising. The kind of dominance I look for with up and coming talent. (I also saw Hamilton coming in F Renault and Norris in GJ's. Singled them out straight away). But BTCC... I find it too hard to watch. It used to be great in the 80's/90's but the format is too plastic now (reverse grid order pulled out of a hat FFS!) and it's almost impossible for real talent to shine the way it should.

You and Sutton should be in a better series.

Anyway imo Freddie so far is right at this level. In lower formula you need to destroy the opposition in speed and racecraft as well as, maybe even more so, than with results.

My main concern with Freddie is he doesn't go on a growth spurt. He's not exactly small at 14yo already.

Winning all the time is a good sign, is it?

[mat205125]

Petrus1983 said:

Interesting that Chandoc was a second off the pace, and slower than Rob Austin (if its the same Rob Austin BTCC star?!?)

[thegreenhell]

mat205125 said:

Petrus1983 said:

Interesting that Chandoc was a second off the pace, and slower than Rob Austin (if its the same Rob Austin BTCC star?!?)

in a car two years older than most of the others in the field.