Audi hands 18-year-old Slater his first F1 practice runs in Mexico and Brazil
Audi will give 18-year-old Freddie Slater his first F1 practice sessions in Mexico City on 30 October and then in Sao Paulo a week later, before his move to Formula 2 in 2027.
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Freddie Slater, britânico de 18 anos, vai conhecer um carro de Fórmula 1 em um fim de semana de corrida no fim do mês, quando a Audi lhe der a sessão de abertura dos treinos livres do GP da Cidade do México, em 30 de outubro.
Uma segunda sessão vem sete dias depois, no GP de São Paulo, dando a ele duas aparições para aprender como um fim de semana de grande prêmio funciona por dentro.
Slater ocupa um lugar particular nos planos da Audi. Quando a montadora alemã entrou na F1 nesta temporada, ele se tornou o primeiro piloto contratado para o seu programa de desenvolvimento, esquema supervisionado por Allan McNish, diretor de corridas da marca.
McNish disse que a Audi viu "grande progresso" do adolescente "dentro e fora da pista" nos últimos anos, e que chegou o momento de ele subir um degrau. As duas aparições nos treinos, acrescentou, renderiam "experiência valiosa" e mais quilometragem antes da transição para a Fórmula 2 na próxima temporada.
Para o próprio piloto, o peso da ocasião é pessoal. Slater chamou aquilo de "um grande momento para mim", algo com que sonhava desde a infância.
"Aprendi muito neste ano", disse ele, e esperava que as sessões oferecessem outra chance de seguir acumulando tempo de pista.
A convocação se soma a uma estreia forte. Slater terminou em segundo na Fórmula 3 em sua primeira campanha, e em 2027 sobe para a Fórmula 2 com a Invicta, uma das equipes que andam na frente naquela categoria.
O atual piloto líder da Invicta, Rafael Camara, lidera a classificação da F2 deste ano e vai para a F1 na próxima temporada com a equipe americana Haas, um lembrete do caminho que Slater tenta seguir.
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