Victory for Felbermayr, podium for Slater in strong season start

Release
10/04/2026
Hinwil

Audi Development Programme drivers Emma Felbermayr and Freddie Slater enjoyed a busy and successful start to the season, with strong weekends across their respective campaigns. Slater, stepping up to Formula 3, secured his maiden podium in Melbourne, while Felbermayr – now in her second year in F1 Academy – claimed both a race win and a podium in Shanghai. With a prolonged break in the racing calendar ahead, both drivers will now focus on training and preparation to build on this early momentum when competition resumes later this spring.

Slater kicked off his debut Formula 3 weekend in Melbourne strongly, setting the third-fastest time in qualifying, just 0.082 from pole position. With the top twelve inverted for the Sprint Race, the 17-year-old started tenth, dropped back in traffic at the start, and recovered to his original starting position before a red flag prematurely ended the race.

In the Feature Race, Slater lined up third and immediately moved into second at the start. Although he briefly lost the position in an early battle, he remained in contention at the front. A mid-race Safety Car disrupted his progress, but once back up to speed, he reclaimed second with a decisive move. A second Safety Car later halted his charge, leaving the young Briton to secure a well-earned podium finish.

The focus then shifted to Shanghai, where Felbermayr began her second year in F1 Academy by qualifying third. In Saturday’s Sprint Race, despite some minor damage after contact with Ferrari’s Alba Larsen, she made a decisive move in the final lap to take third place from Rafaela Ferreira.

In the Feature Race, she stayed close to the lead throughout and moved into first at the Safety Car restart, going on to claim victory. By scoring more points than any other competitor over the weekend, Felbermayr left Shanghai at the top of the F1 Academy standings.

Allan McNish, Director of Audi Driver Development Programme: "It’s been a strong start to the season for both Freddie and Emma. Freddie handled the Formula 3 season opener well, securing a podium, while Emma made real progress in her second year of F1 Academy with a brilliant win and a podium. With a break in the calendar, it’s a good opportunity to refocus on training and preparation to build on this momentum. Both drivers have shown pace, hard work, and dedication, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to develop in the next stages of their campaigns."