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Kimi Antonelli has been backed as the next big talent in Formula 1 since joining the sport in 2025, and Alex Jacques reckons Audi have the next ‘super talent’ on their hands.
Toto Wolff showed complete confidence in Antonelli when he chose him to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes last year. The Italian won multiple junior titles and jumped straight from F4 to F2 in 2024 before moving to F1 in 2025.
After a shaky rookie season, plagued by mechanical failures and rookie mistakes, Wolff’s decision has paid off handsomely. Antonelli has won back-to-back Grands Prix in 2026 at Shanghai and Suzuka and currently leads the championship.
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The 19-year-old is the youngest driver to ever lead the standings, and many people are now seeing him as a realistic contender. Mercedes no longer view George Russell as the favourite for the title, but now see his teammate as a serious threat.
Mercedes have a sensational prospect on their hands, and it has left many wondering who could be the next superstar to rise to F1. F1 commentator Jacques believes that the driver is on the books at Audi.
Alex Jacques backs Freddie Slater as the next ‘Antonelli-like super talent’ in F1
Newcomers Audi have had a mixed start to life in F1 since taking over Sauber. Gabriel Bortoleto scored the team their first points on debut in Melbourne, but they have struggled with race starts and overall power.
Their situation is not great off the track either, as Jonathan Wheatley is set to leave Audi after a falling out with Mattia Binotto. But the future is bright for the team, particularly with their junior ranks.
Jacques sees Bortoleto as a serious contender to be the next new winner in F1, as he wrote in his column on F1.com. But he also backs F3 driver Freddie Slater as another potential winner.
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The 17-year-old Brit was the first driver to join the Audi junior programme, and Jacques thinks he could be the next Antonelli.
He wrote: “The next ‘Antonelli-like’ super talent in junior ranks is 17-year-old F3 driver Freddie Slater, who is part of the Audi F1 junior programme.
“If the young Brit continues on his current trajectory, he could expect promotion to the F1 race team around the time they’d be expected to be challenging for wins.”
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Who is Audi’s Freddie Slater?
Slater is being backed as the next rising star in motorsport, and he has the junior career to back that up.
The Brit won the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2023 before winning Italian and UAE F4 in 2024. He dramatically dominated the former, winning 15 of the 20 races and grabbing 16 podiums.
Slater won FRECA in 2025 before stepping up to Formula 3 in 2026. After the opening round in Melbourne, he is sat third in the standings, having finished second in the Feature Race.
McLaren were fighting Audi for Slater’s signature, but in the end, the German manufacturer won the race for the 17-year-old. With his incredible talent and performances, he is well on the way to F1.
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