Freddie Slater praised the new Madring circuit after topping the opening day of F3 in-season testing for TRIDENT in Madrid.
The championship leader set a 1:50.343 during Monday afternoon’s running to finish fastest overall, having already shown competitive pace throughout the opening day. The test also gave Slater and TRIDENT their first opportunity to collect real-world data around a venue that will host the 2026 season finale in September.
With teams arriving in Madrid armed mainly with simulator information, Slater focused on gradually building his understanding of the high-speed street circuit while helping TRIDENT establish a technical baseline.
Slater enjoys first taste of Madring after strong opening to F3 testing
Slater immediately took to the character of the new circuit and left the opening day particularly impressed by its combination of speed, technical challenge and limited margin for error.
“I think it was a really positive day,” he summarised back in the paddock while speaking to Formula 3. “I think this track is incredible to drive, it’s a bit old-school, got some interesting corners and it’s got a lot of character to it. It’s probably one of the most enjoyable on a push lap on the calendar.
That enjoyment also helped Slater settle into the circuit quickly. Rather than treating the first day purely as a data-gathering exercise, he found himself increasingly comfortable as he adapted both his driving and the car.
“I’m just enjoying it. I’m having fun. Today has been a really positive day. I’m just learning about the track and trying to adapt my driving style to it and also adapt the car a bit to it.
For TRIDENT, the lack of historical information made every run particularly important. Slater stressed that the team used Monday to understand how the car reacted around a circuit where nobody had previous competitive data.
“It’s been a good learning day for the team, especially, which is very important, obviously, with a completely new track and no previous data to rely on. It’s been a solid day so far.”
Street-circuit experience from 2026 Madring F3 testing helps Slater build confidence
Slater could also draw on previous experience from other demanding street venues.
His recent appearances at Macau and Monaco helped shape his approach to Madring, particularly when balancing outright pace against the risks that come with running close to the walls.
“I’ve actually had a couple of experiences around street tracks, obviously, Macau, Monaco this year, and it’s about going out, being on the limit, but not being too over the limit that you end up risking crashing.
That meant the opening morning centred on building confidence rather than immediately chasing lap time. Slater used the early running to understand the circuit and gradually work towards the limit.
He said, “I think that was very important this morning to build up to it, to get multiple laps under the belt so you actually could work out what was going on. I think it’s been a positive way of building up to it. I look forward to tomorrow.
By the afternoon, Slater had clearly found a rhythm. His 1:50.343 ultimately stood as the fastest time of Day 1, putting him 0.067s ahead of ART Grand Prix’s Taito Kato and 0.080s clear of Campos Racing’s Théophile Naël.
However, the lap time was only part of what impressed him. Slater placed Madring alongside some of the most distinctive circuits he has driven and highlighted the Turns 5-6 chicane as one section he particularly enjoyed.
“But I love the whole thing. I think it’s incredible. I think it’s one of the best tracks I’ve driven. Like all the best tracks, like your Macau’s, your Monaco’s, the tracks that have got character, and I think that’s what’s the most special thing that they’ve done here. I can’t name a favourite part, but I do like the Turn 5 and 6 chicane.”
TRIDENT builds valuable data for season finale
The test carries added importance because F3 will return to Madring for the final round of the season.
As a result, teams need to use the two-day programme not only to search for outright performance, but also to establish a baseline they can return to when racing begins in September.
Slater expected the second day to produce a noticeable increase in pace as drivers switched to fresher tyres earlier in the programme.
“I think tomorrow you’ll see probably a little bit more new tyres put on a lot sooner. I think probably two or three runs in a row maybe in the morning, which we normally see on the second day in the morning of these tests.
His confidence also came from how competitive TRIDENT looked relative to the rest of the field despite the tyre programmes used on Monday.
“I think the pace has been really strong today, especially considering what tyres we’re on and compared to other people. So, a really, really positive day, honestly, as I look back on it.
Slater targets more Qualifying and race preparation
The final day promised a different emphasis, with teams expected to complete more qualifying simulations alongside longer race runs.
That mattered particularly after repeated Red Flags disrupted Monday and limited the amount of uninterrupted long-run work available.
“It’s a nice way to begin this final stint of the season. I think tomorrow is going to be lots of qualifying simulations, but also trying to get some race runs in, as today we had quite a few red flags that didn’t help in that sense.”
Slater therefore ended Day 1 with both pace and confidence. He topped the timing screens, helped TRIDENT build its first meaningful dataset at Madring and quickly developed an affinity for a circuit he now ranks among the best he has driven.
With Monza and the Madrid finale approaching, the opening day also gave the championship leader an encouraging start to the decisive final stretch of the 2026 F3 season.
