Freddie Slater, one of the UK’s most highly rated and hotly tipped racing drivers for a potential future in Formula One, will contest selected rounds of the GB3 Championship this year with Hillspeed.
The 16-year-old, from Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, will join the Markham Vale team for a part-campaign of GB3 Championship events and, additionally, will conduct some GB3 testing with Hillspeed during the year.
Slater, who is supported by ADD Management, has already confirmed a full 2025 season in the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) with Prema Racing this year, but has opted to dovetail some GB3 outings.
For 2025, the brand new Tatuus MSV GB3-025 car is introduced into the UK’s premier single-seater category, in which Hillspeed – now entering its 55th year of active motorsport competition – is a multiple race winner.
Following a magnificent career in karts, where he won no fewer than nine titles including the 2020 OK Junior World Championship and 2021 OK Junior FIA Karting European Championship, Slater stepped-up to cars in the Ginetta Junior Winter Series at the end of 2022.
Becoming the youngest ever winner of the title at just 14-years-of-age, winning three of the four races, he then went on to dominate the main Ginetta Junior Championship the following year – excelling on his way to taking the crown with 13 victories from 18 races contested.
Debuting in single-seaters midway through 2023 in British F4, setting a fastest lap on his maiden weekend, Slater also raced in the Euro 4 Championship, taking a win, and made a couple of outings in the Italian F4 Championship as well as a podium finishing appearance in F4 at the Macau Grand Prix.
In addition to winning the FIA European KZ2 Karting Championship that year as well, Slater’s successes and popularity among race fans also delivered the youngster the Autosport National Driver of the Year Award.
Winning his third car racing crown, and first in single-seaters, in the Formula 4 UAE Championship in the Middle East in early 2024, this preceded a full campaign in Italian F4 where he starred once again. Sealing the coveted title in style, Slater scorched to 15 race wins – a new record – qualified on pole 11 times and set 10 fastest laps. Notably, he also won the crown with the biggest ever points margin.
Slater gained GB3 Championship experience last year, during an outing with Rodin Motorsport in the penultimate event of the season at Donington Park Grand Prix Circuit, which saw him finish sixth, fourth and fifth in the three encounters.
Freddie Slater said: "I’m excited to be racing in the new GB3 car with a British team, and I am looking forward to maximising the opportunity of racing with Hillspeed. Although I can’t complete the whole championship, we will do our best to fight for wins."
Hillspeed Team Principal Richard Ollerenshaw said: "Freddie is, without question, one of Britain’s top young single-seater stars and his achievements so far in the space of just a couple of years in cars are simply sensational. All at Hillspeed are absolutely delighted to be working with Freddie and the exceptional team at ADD Management during the new GB3 season, providing an environment in which he can excel.
"Of course, Freddie’s chief focus is his already confirmed Formula Regional campaign but the additional experience he will gain in the outstanding new GB3 car, during the race weekends and testing with ourselves, will be a major benefit as his career undoubtedly continues to reach new heights. We are very privileged to have a driver of Freddie’s quality, ability and standing in our GB3 team for the coming season."
For more championship information visit www.gb-3.net