Freddie Slater
Discussion
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.
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 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.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.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
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.
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.
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.
It is an obvious indicator but if they read the op they would've seen it's also about the way they win. E.g. "that" wet race win at Silverstone in the F Renault is what instantly single out lewis for F1 greatness for me. It was long before he won nearly every race.
Freddie is proving his racecraft but the next step is to get in a series that shows speed - the ability to pull out a big lead, rather than GJ's which have a massive drafting factor.
But yeah, winning. He's now broken the record for most GJ wins and he still has 9 races to go.
Freddie is proving his racecraft but the next step is to get in a series that shows speed - the ability to pull out a big lead, rather than GJ's which have a massive drafting factor.
But yeah, winning. He's now broken the record for most GJ wins and he still has 9 races to go.
Edited by mattikake on Tuesday 20th June 18:05
Now KZ European Champion. First Brit in decades.
https://www.youtube.com/live/VTn5aW_IrYk?feature=s...
(3 hours in on stream)
https://www.youtube.com/live/VTn5aW_IrYk?feature=s...
(3 hours in on stream)
After he left the ginetta junior field for dead in the wet and set a new record for junior wins at cadwell, he's going to be in the F4 BTCC support race this weekend. Let's see how he gets on.
So he's just turned 15 and is now eligible to race formula cars.
Are these still manual or are they flappy paddle these days?
So he's just turned 15 and is now eligible to race formula cars.
Are these still manual or are they flappy paddle these days?
Edited by mattikake on Friday 25th August 13:13
VladD said:
SpudLink said:
mattikake said:
… he's going to be in the F4 BTCC support race this weekend. Let's see how he gets on.
Qualified P3. Late entry to the Italian F4 championship. Put it on pole. Racer later today.
https://www.youtube.com/live/GvhjdIKkz9g?si=M8cl7M...
https://www.youtube.com/live/GvhjdIKkz9g?si=M8cl7M...
Anyone following Freddie in the winter UAE F4 championship?
https://youtube.com/@formula4uaechampionship765?si...
Just finished watching race 5 (race 6 later this weekend). 2 wins, 3 podiums (1 from reverse grid) and a 4th (reverse grid). 30 point lead in the championship already and looking like the class of the field (although not perhaps round 1).
He's very Prost-like, consistent and often quietly picking up places and poaching other drivers clinically.
https://youtube.com/@formula4uaechampionship765?si...
Just finished watching race 5 (race 6 later this weekend). 2 wins, 3 podiums (1 from reverse grid) and a 4th (reverse grid). 30 point lead in the championship already and looking like the class of the field (although not perhaps round 1).
He's very Prost-like, consistent and often quietly picking up places and poaching other drivers clinically.
Yay! Another championship in the bag.
It was very close though, not total domination, even though he was the outstanding driver in the field. He got caught up with his main rival in a racing incident squeezed into a wall (neither blamed) that resulted in a 0 score for the entire round 4 (3 races) with back of the grid starts as a result.
But still a championship winning steal for a position in the penultimate race recovered it.
It was very close though, not total domination, even though he was the outstanding driver in the field. He got caught up with his main rival in a racing incident squeezed into a wall (neither blamed) that resulted in a 0 score for the entire round 4 (3 races) with back of the grid starts as a result.
But still a championship winning steal for a position in the penultimate race recovered it.
SpudLink said:
So will he be in European F3 next, or will he be fast tracked into full F3? I would think the plan is to get him on the on the F1 support calendar to show off his talent to a wider audience.
Still too young possibly and still learning single seaters to go for FIA F3 I'd say. Some other F3 series, yeah euro F3 or GB3? Not heard any plans on what's next. He still has to win this one. He has lead that is over 2 race wins because no-one else has been anywhere near as consistent, but he could win it early and miss the last few races, then he could to an invitation drive somewhere to test some waters and keep his run going the next season. That's what I'd be telling him.
Following Prema would be a good call but that limits options.
He's now equalled Antonelli's Italian F4 win record, with 3 races still to go.
But... an odd last race. He had just won the F4 championship, started on pole and went backwards finishing 4th. First time I've seen him go backwards in a race.
I haven't been able to find out if he had an issue with his car but he looked plain slow, especially in the corners. Or maybe he's one of these competitor types, like Lewis, who loses his edge when there is nothing to fight for? Could be the first kink in his armour.
But... an odd last race. He had just won the F4 championship, started on pole and went backwards finishing 4th. First time I've seen him go backwards in a race.
I haven't been able to find out if he had an issue with his car but he looked plain slow, especially in the corners. Or maybe he's one of these competitor types, like Lewis, who loses his edge when there is nothing to fight for? Could be the first kink in his armour.
Castellet said:
Out of interest, is this raw talent, or a substantially funded strategy to get to the top ?
Both. I mean arguably prema are the best "team" but ultimately he has only been racing in spec series, he's thrashed his fellow prema team mates and that best team managed to get Freddie dsq from 1 race that he won, so technically he's already crossed the line first more times than Antonelli did..All about reading between the lines though.
He also looks set to win the Euro F4 title this year too, which he has been running in simultaneously with the Italian F4.
Petrus1983 said:
It's a great start - but until the actual F3/F2 programme it doesn't mean much - apart from hopefully attracting some sponsorship and an outside chance of a team. Fair play though.
He won't be in F3 next year. He will still only 15 by the time that starts. So it will probably be GB3. Depends on the funding.Update on Slater watch. Now competing in the Formula Regional Middle East series over the winter. These cars are sort of half way between F4 and F3.
Round 1, 2 wins from pole with fastest lap. Winning by dominant margins as well.
Reverse grid looks tame in this series with none of the top 5 even getting close enough to make a move. So Slater started 10th, finished 6th gaining all those positions at the start.
Not struggling with the step up to more df and more bhp at all.
https://www.youtube.com/live/0aavVfJ2c-g?si=2w3jvY...
Round 1, 2 wins from pole with fastest lap. Winning by dominant margins as well.
Reverse grid looks tame in this series with none of the top 5 even getting close enough to make a move. So Slater started 10th, finished 6th gaining all those positions at the start.
Not struggling with the step up to more df and more bhp at all.
https://www.youtube.com/live/0aavVfJ2c-g?si=2w3jvY...
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