Photo: ACI Sport
Ginetta Junior champion Freddie Slater has signed with Dutch team Van Amersfoort Racing to contest the last two rounds of the Italian Formula 4 season at Mugello and Vallelunga.
Slater made his single-seater racing debut last month after turning 15 years old, joining Double R Racing for a round of the British F4 championship at Donington Park and finishing fourth in two of the weekend’s races as well as taking a fastest lap.
At that point he did not know whether he would race in F4 again this year, but he then signed a deal to reunite with the team for the season finale at Brands Hatch next month. Following that, Slater attracted the attention of single-seater juggernaut Prema and joined them for the second Euro 4 round at Monza two weekends ago.
Slater stunned the paddock, claiming pole for his debut and going third fastest in the second qualifying session. He retired with damage from the first race while fighting to finish on the podium, bounced back to win race two (of which the results remain provisional) then crashed out of race three in a collision with team-mate Arvid Lindblad as they disputed the lead.
Two days later, Slater linked up with VAR for an in-season Italian F4 test at Mugello and was 15th fastest. That test opportunity has not turned into a race seat.
“I am very excited to embark on this new journey with VAR,” said Slater. “The team and I have been preparing for these upcoming two events, and I cannot wait to get started this weekend in Mugello.”
VAR’s CEO Rob Niessink commented: “Freddie is a young promising talent for the future. His racing career so far is nothing short of impressive and we’re excited to have him in one of our cars.”
There are rumours that Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 junior Alex Powell, who recently won the Champions of the Future karting series, will be making his single-seater racing debut in the Italian F4 round at Mugello. He participated in the test at the track with Prema, and is linked to racing with the team.