Freddie Slater is one of the most buzzworthy drivers during the 2024 season in the junior categories that represent the stepping stones to Formula 1. The 16-year-old Englishman won, or rather dominated, the Italian F4 Championship, one of the world’s benchmarks in the first single-seater categories to be tackled after karting. It was a record-breaking campaign for Slater, who mathematically secured the title in Barcelona with one round to spare. On the final weekend at Monza, however, Freddie didn’t relax and even set a new record for wins in a single season, 15, paired with a total score of 383 points and 11 pole positions.
No other driver displayed such crushing superiority in this series, where 52 entrants from over 25 countries were seen on the grid during 2024. The Italian F4 Championship can be defined as a genuine world championship in scale, which has already welcomed drivers who have later made it to F1. We should also not forget that Freddie competed during the winter in the UAE Formula 4 championship, where the same cars are used, winning the title there as well. Winning helps to win.
Did Freddie imagine a year like this? “You never know before, we had no expectations, but we prepared a lot in the winter to be ready to fight. I think it paid off. The Italian F4 has so many variables, so many things that can happen and also go the wrong way. It turned out to be crucial to collect points week in, week out,” he told us.
Freddie wears a Bell Racing helmet, the most common choice in single-seater racing, and he is aware of its importance. “The helmet is the item that protects us the most in the car, it’s probably the most crucial piece of equipment we need to be safe when we do this job,” Freddie underlines. “Bell has provided me with a great helmet model for my safety, which I hope will protect me for a few more years in my career, and the paint job looks great on it too.”
When we asked him his favourite feature of our helmets, Freddie said: “I particularly like how the Bell Racing helmets last, as they have a great durability that enables you to use them for many years. I also love how they are comfortable inside”.
As a fresh former kart racer, claiming in 2023 the FIA Karting European Championship KZ2 title, after the OK Junior class world crown in 2020, Slater also gives a suggestion to his colleagues: “Honestly, I tell anyone who is going into cars to wear Bell, because it’s the best in the business”.
2025 for Freddie is already mapped out with a move to the faster Formula Regional European Championship, but the approach remains unchanged: “Winning the title is the goal. I will train intensively over the winter to achieve that by having a good season, but at the same time we are still approaching it with an open mind. We’ll see how it goes.”
The first competitive taste of his new challenge will be the famous Macau Grand Prix at the end of November, and we are sure Freddie will leave nothing to chance.
