British teenager tipped as F1's next superstar has now been told he is wanted on the grid

Audi CEO Mattia Binotto has doubled down on plans to promote British teenager Freddie Slater into Formula 1.

Slater, 18, debuted in F3 in 2025 and was pipped by Ugo Ugochukwu in the drivers' championship in 2026 after the American enjoyed a better weekend in the final round at Spain's Madring.

The Warwickshire driver will move into F2 with Invicta next season and Binotto expects to see him on the F1 grid sooner rather than later.

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Audi CEO Mattia Binotto tips Freddie Slater to step up to F1

Slater is signed to Audi's development programme and Binotto believes he could make the step up to F1 in some form as early as the tail end of the current season.

The two Audi seats are currently occupied by 21-year-old Gabriel Bortoleto, another of the sport's great rising stars, and 39-year-old German driver Nico Hulkenberg.

Audi has the capacity to give Slater an opportunity to drive in free practice before the end of the 2026 season and again in 2027

Speaking to F1, Binotto said: "Freddie is part of our driver development programme. High potential, he’s doing well. Just finished second in the championship. He was leading the championship before the last weekend in Madrid. Now finishing second.

"I think we discussed that with him. It can be as well a great lesson learned. Sometimes it’s not that, and that will be forgotten very soon. More important what he will deliver in the future. F1 duties yes, because that’s part of the development plan."

Binotto is taking nothing for granted, pointing out that Slater's development is progressing as planned but must continue to do so in order to fulfil the team's plan to put him on the grid.

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Freddie Slater's path to the F1 grid

The CEO says that Slater rising to Formula 1 is the natural culmination of his direction of travel, but the journey from F2 rookie and occasional free practice driver to a debut Grand Prix is not without its pitfalls.

F3 and F2 form a development pathway for F1 and Slater is making strides, giving Binotto cause for long-term optimism.

Formula 1 drivers require an FIA Super Licence. To be eligible for that, they must pass theory tests and have completed 80 percent of each of two full seasons in one of the qualifying championships.

F3 and F2 are both among those championships and Slater has now passed the age threshold too.

Having also won the Italian F4 Championship and Formula 4 UAE Championship in 2024, the 18-year-old has achieved the licence's 40-point requirement through his experience and results in F3 and Formula 4 over the past few years, and is therefore now eligible to step up to the grid when the opportunity comes.

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