Freddie Slater, Audi's first Formula 1 junior driver, will join reigning champions Invicta in Formula 2 for the 2027 season. This move marks a significant step for the young British driver after an impressive rookie campaign in Formula 3.
Slater narrowly missed out on the F3 title at the Madring last weekend, finishing 14 points behind Ugo Ugochukwu. A costly mechanical failure in the Monza feature race and a nightmare title-decider in Madrid dashed his hopes. Nevertheless, his performances throughout the season caught the eye of many, including Audi, who signed him as the first member of their F1 driver development programme.
Slater's path to F2 was shaped by his mature decision to delay accepting offers from F1 teams at a young age. Like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, he and his management chose to focus on honing their skills in junior categories. Earlier this year, he accepted Audi's proposal as the German manufacturer prepared to enter F1 in 2026. This move underscores Audi's confidence in Slater's potential.
In F2, Slater will join Invicta Racing, a team that has dominated the last two seasons, securing both drivers' and teams' titles. Gabriel Bortoleto and Leonardo Fornaroli, both of whom also came from Trident's F3 team, won the drivers' championships with Invicta. Slater is expected to follow in their footsteps, especially as Invicta currently fights for a third consecutive title with Rafael Camara, who trails leader Nikola Tsolov by seven points.
Audi's driver development director, Allan McNish, welcomed the move. "The move to Formula 2 is the natural next step for Freddie, and an important new phase of his development as a driver," he said. "He enjoyed a strong Formula 3 season, fighting for the title until the final round - showing his speed, racecraft and progress throughout the year. We are very proud of what Freddie has achieved this season and how he has developed along the way. Invicta Racing has had an excellent record in recent years, and we are delighted to be working with them. We believe it is the ideal environment for him, and we look forward to supporting him as he takes on this new challenge in 2027."
Invicta has been the benchmark team in F2 for three years with the current car, but the series will introduce a heavily revised version in 2027. Quick adaptation will be key for Slater and the team. Additionally, F2 has added an extra feature race to its next round in Baku amid uncertainty over its final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi. Slater is set to make his debut in the post-season Abu Dhabi test, although this may need to be rescheduled if F1 cancels its Qatar and Abu Dhabi weekends as expected. F2 could decide to join F1 if it holds its season finale at Imola in December, as per the current back-up plan.
Slater's move to F2 with Invicta signals Audi's serious intent to build a foundation of future drivers. With a combination of raw talent and a championship-winning environment, Slater has a great opportunity to hone his skills and one day race for the German manufacturer in F1. Fans should look forward to his exploits on track in F2 2027.
Baca Juga
Freddie Slater resmi bergabung dengan Invicta Racing untuk Formula 2 2027. Runner-up FIA F3 2026 ini siap melangkah ke jenjang berikutnya.
Freddie Slater resmi naik ke Formula 2 2027 bersama Invicta Racing setelah finis runner-up F3 2026. Simak analisis lengkap dan dampaknya bagi karier pembalap muda Audi ini.
Freddie Slater resmi naik ke Formula 2 2027 bersama Invicta Racing setelah menjadi runner-up F3 2026. Simak detail kontrak dan peluangnya di F2.
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