Audi announced on October 22 that 18-year-old Freddie Slater will drive the R26 in first practice at the Mexico City and São Paulo Grands Prix. These will be his first F1 Grand Prix weekend appearances and another practical step for the first driver signed to Audi's development program.
From F3 runner-up to two Grand Prix weekends
Slater has just completed his rookie F3 season with Trident as championship runner-up. He reached the podium on eight consecutive race weekends, took three poles and one Feature Race victory, and remained in title contention until September's Madrid finale. Audi's FP1 outings follow that phase and precede his formal move to F2 next year.
Audi confirmed in September that he would join Invicta in F2 in 2027. The team won consecutive drivers' and teams' championships in 2024 and 2025. Slater plans to begin working with it at the F2 post-season test. His development thus combines practical work with a top-level team during F1 weekends and a full F2 season to build competitive experience.
The driver focuses on learning and the team's program
In the announcement, Slater said driving an F1 car on a Grand Prix weekend had been a childhood dream. He specifically emphasized doing the best job possible, helping execute the team's program and learning as much as possible across both sessions. The announcement gave no lap-time or position target and did not identify which regular drivers he would replace.
Allan McNish said in the same announcement that the team had seen Slater progress on and off track in recent years and felt the time was right for another step. He connected Mexico and Brazil with building further F1 weekend experience before Slater moves to F2.
INKA SPORTS analysis: How two FP1 sessions connect to the next stage
The value is that Slater's F1 experience has a defined next destination. Rather than completing a demonstration and waiting for another chance, he has secured F2 and will attend his new team's post-season test. Audi's and Slater's stated aims make FP1 a chance to learn F1 weekend processes and support existing testing plans, while F2 provides the next full-season competitive task.
Two different rounds also allow continued learning: Mexico is his first Grand Prix weekend, and Brazil can build on it. Slater emphasizes completing the team's program, while McNish emphasizes weekend experience. Both focus on the specific work in these sessions.
Conclusion
Slater's next development follows two connected lines: two F1 weekends with Audi, and F2 post-season testing and 2027 preparations with Invicta. FP1 exposes him to a top-level team's demands before moving to F2, while next year's full season provides the F3 runner-up's next competitive platform.
