Prema’s Freddie Slater and Trident’s Matteo De Palo set the stage in Qualifying 2 for a thrilling conclusion to the 2025 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) season. As the championship reaches its 100th race, the two standout drivers will share the front row at Monza — a fitting finale for a year defined by their rivalry and consistency.
Slater topped Group A in Qualifying 2 with a commanding 1:44.334 to secure his sixth pole of the season. Meanwhile, De Palo responded in Group B with a 1:44.407, confirming Trident’s pace and his determination to end his FRECA campaign on a high. The title may already belong to Slater, but pride, points, and momentum remain firmly at stake for both.
Slater: “Very happy to still take pole”
After sealing the Drivers’ Championship on Saturday, Freddie Slater returned to the track on Sunday with characteristic focus and composure. Despite already achieving the biggest milestone of his season, he showed no signs of slowing down. His pole lap came after a dramatic off at Ascari — a moment that could have easily derailed his session.
“It was really nice to wrap up the title yesterday and come back this morning with another strong performance,” said Slater after a wild but controlled run. “The conditions were quite similar to Saturday, but I made a small mistake at Ascari which affected my last push lap — everyone probably saw that moment. With the tyres getting cold after that, it wasn’t easy to recover, so I’m very happy to still take pole.”
The young Briton once again demonstrated his knack for extracting performance under pressure. Even without the benefit of a slipstream, Slater’s precision and timing ensured he maintained control of the session when it mattered most.
“It definitely wasn’t a simple session, especially without a tow, but we managed to bounce back and deliver a great lap when it mattered,” he explained. “Now we’ll focus on the race. The Teams’ title fight is still open, so we’ll give it everything to score maximum points and end the season on a high.”
With his sixth pole of the season, Slater reaffirmed his dominance in one-lap pace. More importantly, his mindset — focused on teamwork and execution — signals that even with the championship secured, he remains laser-focused on delivering for Prema.
De Palo: “Front-row start feels special”
Matteo De Palo, meanwhile, delivered one of his most complete performances of the season. After a tough Saturday in which contact forced him to replace a damaged front wing in Race 1, he bounced back strongly to top Group B and secure a spot alongside his rival and future team-mate on the front row.
“It was a really good qualifying this morning,” said De Palo, reflecting on the turnaround. “Our pace was strong, and it’s great to bounce back after yesterday, when we struggled a bit in qualifying. Ending my journey in FRECA with a front-row start feels special, and it’s a positive way to close this chapter.”
His effort was not just about raw speed. After overnight changes to fine-tune the Trident’s balance, De Palo found the rhythm early and maximised grip as the track evolved — a sign of growing adaptability.
“Starting from the front is always key here in Monza — anything can happen in the race — so the goal is to give everything and finish the season on a high with Trident,” he continued. “We made a few small adjustments to the car after yesterday, mainly to improve the balance in these cold conditions, and it worked well. I’m happy with the progress and confident we can fight at the top.”
With the championship already decided, De Palo’s front-row start serves as both redemption and motivation. It also highlights Trident’s continuous progress in matching Prema’s benchmark performance, especially in low-grip, high-stakes conditions.
The stage is set for FRECA’s 100th race
As the FRECA grid forms for its century milestone, the spotlight remains firmly on Slater and De Palo. Their contrasting paths — the champion defending his supremacy and the challenger bidding farewell with one final push — create the perfect narrative for Monza’s grandstand finale.
Slater races for pride and team glory, aiming to clinch maximum points to help Prema in the Teams’ Championship fight. Meanwhile, De Palo chases the race win and the runner-up spot in the standings, determined to cap off his FRECA journey with a flourish.
