Coming into the ultimate spherical of the Method 3 championship in Madrid, Freddie Slater informed the media he’s reset and refocused after a troublesome weekend in Monza.
With the championship coming right down to the ultimate spherical, Slater mirrored on the battle that has raged all through his rookie yr.
Slater was marked early within the season as one of many F3 drivers to observe. With the Audi F1 crew’s assist behind him, every race got here with scrutiny. From the opening race, he delivered.
For a lot of the primary half of the season, he sat behind Ugo Ugochukwu within the standings, however momentum shifted away from the Campos driver and towards the TRIDENT driver. He took the championship lead in Budapest, along with his consistency all through the season paying off.
The championship combat
Nevertheless, it isn’t the primary time Slater has discovered himself up in opposition to Ugochukwu for a title. The duo went head-to-head for the Method Regional Oceania Trophy forward of their F3 seasons. Slater completed that marketing campaign because the runner-up.
Trying on the rivalry he has and the continuing battle, the Briton informed the media, together with Motorsport Week, that it’s been ‘pleasing’ to combat for an additional title.
“It’s been actually pleasing. We all know we’ve discovered ourselves in one other alternative to win one other championship in my profession, which may be very particular. So it’s been a extremely productive season.”
2026 is Slater’s rookie season on the F3 grid, making his progress all of the extra spectacular. He mirrored on the work and steps he’s taken throughout the season, believing he’s matured and improved race by race.
“I believe I’ve positively developed rather a lot as a driver and matured.” He mentioned. “There are positively sure issues that I’ve improved on all year long or acknowledged, let’s say, which might be positively going to assist me in my future.”
“In order I take a look at it as a yr of studying to change into a greater driver and attempt to develop myself into a greater driver, I believe it’s been fairly constructive on that entrance. It’s positively once I look again a yr in the past, I’ve positively improved rather a lot. So now we simply carry this ahead.”
Woes in Monza
Monza was a troublesome weekend for the championship hopeful, who, regardless of beginning on pole, suffered a problem along with his tyre and plummeted down by way of the order. In the meantime, Ugohukwu, who had began from the again of the sector, managed to take the ultimate factors positions, incrementally closing the hole.
Slater admitted that it was a troublesome weekend and if he loses the championship it might play on his thoughts, however he can’t let himself dwell on it now.
“It may price me the championship.” He informed the media, together with Motorsport Week, “However on the finish of the day, that’s motorsport.
“Some days it goes your method; some days it doesn’t. And the motorsport gods on that day determined it wasn’t my time to place a pleasant large factors hole between Hugo and me going into Madrid.
“In order that’s a part of it. Now we reset, refocus, and unite as a crew. We take that on the chin. Now we give attention to Madrid. We have to execute properly in qualifying, put ourselves in a great place going into the races.
“So Monza’s within the historical past now, and we don’t look again on that, and we give attention to this weekend.”
Reflection on 2026
When requested by Motorsport Week to fee his season forward of the finale, Slater gave himself a assured 10/10. The younger Briton was proud of the best way he’s hit the bottom working in his rookie season. Not simply matching however beating drivers with extra expertise within the class.
“It has been a ten out of 10, to be trustworthy. As a rookie driver, for the performances now we have had, to place ourselves in a championship combat like this, with the outcomes as properly. We’ve had eight podiums and eight weekends.
“In qualifying, we’ve all the time been on the entrance; we’ve had 4 entrance rows in 4 weekends. I believe I’ve completed a extremely good job as a rookie to form of get on stage with the tempo of the skilled second-year drivers, however then additionally handle the conditions once I obtained given them in sure situations. “
Slater went on to say that he’s happy with himself and, although there have been struggles or unhealthy weekends, he acknowledged that it’s a part of the character of F3 and he’d be proud of how he dealt with every thing.
“I’m really very happy with my yr, very happy with myself as properly, the best way I’ve dealt with it.
“There have been a whole lot of issues out of our management which have gone incorrect, which might have put us in a a lot better place. So usually once I look again on it, it’s been an awesome season, positively one I’ll bear in mind.”
It falls to Slater now to finish the ultimate weekend and win the championship. With three races throughout the weekend and over 60 factors on the playing cards, he’ll have ample alternative to impress groups and sponsors, and additional Audi’s assist of him into 2027.
READ MORE: Ugo Ugochukwu heads into the F3 Spanish GP weekend with ‘nothing to lose’
