After the Formula E action took place on track in Madrid, Pit Debrief spoke to Freddie Slater in the media pen. The Formula 3 driver took part in the Madrid Rookie Test, getting behind the wheel of the electric car for the first time.
Slater deemed it “mind-blowing” to drive the Formula E car
The 17-year-old driver is a huge rising talent in the motorsport world. From early on, it was clear to see that the Brit’s skills would take him far. This year, he heads into his first full Formula 3 season with TRIDENT. Last season, the youngster jumped into the F3 car in two rounds with both AIX Racing and Hitech. His talent shone through as he even secured a podium on debut at the Sakhir Sprint Race.
At the Rookie Test in Madrid, Slater had the chance to drive a Formula E car for the very first time. When asked by Pit Debrief about the experience, the Brit said:
“Yeah, it was pretty mind-blowing, honestly, those first couple of laps. There’s a lot of power when you put your foot down, it’s instant. The tyres are very hard to get in the window, especially with the treaded tyres. It was enjoyable to learn and it was a cool experience.”
As the rookie is still young, gaining extensive experience across categories can only benefit him. While his first Formula 3 season began in Melbourne in March, new experiences, such as Formula E, can always be helpful going forward.
Another set of tools in the motorsport toolbox
Several racing drivers value gaining experience in multiple categories, and Slater is among them. While he remains focused on the dream of Formula 1, he takes away valuable lessons from the test.
Pit Debrief asked the Brit why he wanted to participate in the Rookie Test.
“For me, my philosophy with my managers and stuff is to have the biggest toolbox, like I like to call it, and put as many tools in there as possible. So, it’s to try and develop myself as a better driver and gain experience. Obviously, Formula 1 is going more to the electrical engineering as well, so there’s stuff to learn here that could maybe help in the future. It’s just a good learning lesson.”
When asked for more details on which tools he can take away from Formula E, besides the 50% electrical engine in F1, Slater happily said:
“I think that would be giving the game away a little bit, but no, there’s been some good things learnt and it’s been enjoyable as well.”
Slater on adjusting from Formula 3 to Formula E
As Slater drives in the feeder series, adjusting to a Formula E car can be a huge challenge. With different systems, tyres, and engines, the jump can feel massive. Still, the 17-year-old placed 10th in the morning session and sixth in the afternoon session.
When asked about the most challenging aspect to adjust to, Slater explained:
“I think it’s how much the systems are controlling when driving It’s not just as simple as pressing the brake, release the brake type thing. There’s a lot more systems interacting with the driving, so to understand when it’s kicking in and when it’s not is the tricky part.”
Asked further about the biggest difference in jumping from the F3 car to the Formula E car, the Brit said:
“For me, the tyres are quite a big difference. They’re quite punishing, let’s say, if you go over the limit. So it’s a completely different thing. Then with the systems, we don’t have that at all in F3. It’s very simple for us in F3, so yeah, a lot more difficult here.”
Even though the Formula 3 season just began, Slater has already achieved a podium finish during the first round. The Brit will definitely be one to watch this season as he hopes to win the championship.
