Audi’s investment in young talent continues to pay dividends as both Emma Felbermayr and Freddie Slater enter the summer break firmly in the hunt for their respective championships. The pair, members of the Audi Driver Development Programme, enjoyed another productive stretch of racing through July, combining race wins, podiums and consistent points finishes across F1 Academy and FIA Formula 3.
Felbermayr continued to establish herself as one of F1 Academy’s leading contenders during rounds in Montreal and Silverstone. The Austrian scored points in all three races in Canada, highlighted by an impressive charge to second in the reverse-grid race before carrying that momentum to Britain. At Silverstone she returned to the top step of the podium with victory in the reverse-grid race and followed it with a determined drive from eighth on the grid to finish third in the feature race. Those results leave her second in the championship, 30 points behind series leader Alisha Palmowski heading into the next round at Zandvoort.
Meanwhile, Slater’s rookie Formula 3 campaign has gone from impressive to exceptional. The British driver extended his remarkable streak of feature race podiums through Monaco, Barcelona, Spielberg, Silverstone and Spa before arriving in Budapest just a single point behind championship rival Ugo Ugochukwu. Slater drew level with the American after the sprint race, then delivered his maiden Formula 3 victory on Sunday to seize the championship lead. The win also marked his seventh podium in seven consecutive race weekends, giving the Audi junior an eight-point advantage with only Monza and Madrid remaining on the calendar.
Audi Driver Development Programme Director Allan McNish praised both drivers for continuing to build on strong starts to their seasons, noting that Felbermayr has consistently fought at the front while Slater has produced an outstanding Formula 3 campaign. With both championships entering their decisive final stages after the summer break, Audi’s two rising stars remain well positioned to contend for titles before the 2026 season draws to a close.
PHOTO GALLERY F3
PHOTO GALLERY F1 ACADEMY
