McLaren and Audi in driver signing squabble over title winning sensation

Freddie Slater looks distraught in the garage — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

McLaren and Audi in driver signing squabble over title winning sensation

A British champion has caught the interest of Audi

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 18 January 2026 10:55 Updated: 23:21

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McLaren and Audi's F1 driver academies have both been tipped to sign British racing sensation and champion Freddie Slater.

The 17-year-old is the son of Adrian Slater, the owner and managing director of luxury toiletries company 'Baylis & Harding', and began his competitive karting career at the age of seven.

Since then, Slater has gone on to win the Ginetta Junior Championship (2023), the Italian F4 (2024) and the Formula Regional European Championship (2025), and moves up to Formula 3 with Trident in 2026.

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Slater's record breaking stint in the 2024 Italian F4 championship has earned him widespread praise, winning 15 races and breaking Kimi Antonelli's record for most race wins in a season (13). In that same season, Slater finished 161 points ahead of second place Jack Beeton in the drivers' standings.

Only last year, the Brit competed in two rounds of the F3 championship for AIX Racing and achieved second place on the podium during his debut in Sakhir.

Which F1 academy will sign Slater?

While many a young racing talent has fallen short of the monumental expectations placed upon them based on an impressive junior series record, it's hard not to get excited about Slater's future.

The teenager is currently a free agent in regards to any F1 affiliation, and is yet to be signed by to any of the illustrious driver academies that help guide young talent through to the pinnacle of motorsport.

According to F1 insider Joe Saward, Slater's impressive showing at Sakhir last year — doing battle with Fernando Alonso's protege Nikola Tsolov, who was in his third season of F3 — led to 'whispers in Bahrain was that he may soon turn up wearing papaya.' Slater is also managed by ADD Management, who coincidently looks after Lando Norris’ career.

Yet, recent developments involving a FRECA rival and Audi's interest in Slater, have changed this picture somewhat.

According to French publication Auto Hebdo, the German automotive giants are interested in signing the Brit and could be planning to field a lineup of Slater and Gabriel Bortoleto in 2028, if both drivers maintain the form necessary to warrant such investment.

Audi appears to be the most likely avenue for Slater, with Matteo De Palo — who finished second to Slater in FRECA in 2025 and will race alongside the Brit at Trident in F3 this year — announced as part of McLaren's development programme at the end of 2025.

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