FIA Formula 4, also called FIA F4, is an open-wheel racing car category intended for junior drivers. There is no global championship, but rather individual nations or regions can host their own championships in compliance with a universal set of rules and specifications.
The category was created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)—the International sanctioning and administrative body for motorsport—as an entry-level category for young drivers, bridging the gap between karting and Formula 3. The series is a part of the FIA Global Pathway. Former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger was appointed as the FIA Single-Seater Commission president to oversee the creation of the category[1] as a response to declining interest in national Formula 3 championships due to rising costs and alternate pathways to Formula One such as the then Formula Renault and GP2 and GP3 Series, which had seen several national Formula 3 championships discontinued. In the place of the expensive categories, a number of separate categories running under the Formula 4 name had been created, for example the British based the former BRDC Formula 4. There was no commonality between the cars from country to country. The FIA-endorsed category was formally created in March 2013, when it was approved by the World Motor Sport Council.
Initially, these Formula 4 championships started in 2014 as a single-make category before the regulations were opened up to multiple chassis and engine manufacturers. Each championship uses a single make of engine, with the regulations mandating a 1,600 cc (1.6 L) capacity and capping the maximum power output at 160 bhp (119.3 kW), higher than Formula Ford and lower than Formula Renault. The engines are equalised so that no one Formula 4 championship is faster than the others, with the long-term intention being to bring the cost down to under EUR100,000 per year to compete.
Homologated chassis manufacturers
To become eligible for FIA Formula 4, the chassis must meet the FIA homologation requirements respecting technical and commercial regulations. Four chassis manufacturers have been approved by the FIA:[2] Tatuus, Mygale, Dome and Ligier.
Tatuus F4-T014 (2014– )
Dome F110 (2015– )
Mygale M14-F4 (2015– )
Ligier JS F4 (2016– )
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Homologated engines
To become an eligible FIA Formula 4 engine, the engine must meet the homologation requirements. According to the homologation requirements a FIA Formula 4 engine must last at least 10,000 km and have a maximum purchasing price of EUR9,500.[3] According to the FIA Formula 4 technical regulations only four cylinder engines are allowed. Both normally aspirated and turbocharged engines are permitted. The power output has been capped at 160 bhp. The engine displacement is unlimited.[4] Currently six engines are homologated for use in the FIA Formula 4.[2]
| Manufacturer | Abarth | Ford | Geely | Honda | Renault | TOM's-Toyota |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | 1.4L FTJ | 3ZR | ||||
| Engine type | inline 4 | inline 4 | inline 4 | inline 4 | inline 4 | inline 4 |
| Displacement | 1,400cc | 1,600cc | 2,000cc | 2,000cc | 2,000cc | 2,000cc |
| Valvetrain | DOHC | CVVT DOHC | VVT DOHC | VVT DOHC | ||
| GEMS Honda GDi80 D[5] | ||||||
| Lubrication | Dry sump | Dry sump | ||||
| Cooling | ||||||
| Transmission | ||||||
| Fuel |
FIA Formula 4 Championships
These championships are held to Formula 4 regulations and approved by the FIA as the national Formula 4 series.[6] Drivers participating in these series can receive FIA Super Licence points, which are required to drive in Formula One. For a series to be eligible for Super Licence points, a season must be held over at least 5 events at a minimum of 3 circuits, according to FIA Appendix L.[7]
Other Formula 4 championships
Formula Academy Finland
Formula Academy Finland is a racing series based in Finland. Its first season was 2018. Formula Academy Finland uses same Tatuus-Abarth FIA Formula 4 car as ADAC Formula 4, Italian Formula 4 Championship and several other series. The series, however, is not approved by the FIA. There are plans to apply for Finnish Championship status for 2019 season. The series is organized by Koiranen GP. [22][23] More recently as of 2020, the series has run alongside older F3 chassis as a part of the Finnish Championship Series' category Formula Open Finland.[24]
Formula Pro USA Western Championships
The FPU Western Championships take place at west coast tracks in the United States. It is a feeder series to the FIA recognized United States F4 Championship, and utilizes the identical chassis, engine, and tire package.
Fórmula Academy Sudamericana
The Fórmula Academy Sudamericana (Portuguese: Fórmula Academy Sul-Americana), previously known as Fórmula 4 Sudamericana, is a Formula 4 racing class that debuted in 2014. The class uses the same Signatech chassis and Fiat engines used previously in the Brazilian-based Formula Future Fiat.
JAF Japan Formula 4
Japan Formula 4 is a formula racing series in Japan. The series was founded in 1993 by the Japan Automobile Federation as a class between the FJ1600 series and the All-Japan Formula Three Championship. Japanese Formula 4 is an open formula, where competitors can choose the chassis and engine manufacturers.
Canada CASC Formula 4 / F4
This is based on a non-FIA formulae, instead using 750cc motorcycle engines as power plants. Chassis are typically locally produced such as Xpit and Gamma and cars are fueled by methanol. Popular in the CASC Ontario region at a club level only since 1974.
FIA Central European Zone Championship / Drexler Formel 4 Cup
Although it's an FIA zone championship, the single-seater races in the FIA CEZ Championship have a division for Formula 4 cars, but they are not part of the FIA ladder. The races are co-organized with the Austrian, Czech and Hungarian national championships, as well as the Italian Topjet F2000 Trophy and Austrian Drexler AFR Pokale, the latter allowing cars of similar performance to FIA cars in its F4 division, such as Formula BMW, Czech F1400 and ADAC Formel Masters.[25]
Former Formula 4 championships
Australian Formula 4 Championship
The Australian Formula 4 Championship was held from 2015 to 2019 before its discontinuation due to a lack of entries.[26]
SMP F4 Championship
The SMP F4 Championship was held from 2015 to 2019 before losing its FIA certification.
BRDC Formula 4 Championship
The BRDC Formula 4 Championship was an entry level motorsport series based in the United Kingdom which began in 2013. Run by the British Racing Drivers' Club and MotorSport Vision, the series used identical cars built by Ralph Firman Racing and engines from Ford, before switching to FIA Formula 4 regulations in 2015, using the Tatuus F4-T014 chassis. Although run to the FIA's regulations, it was not recognised by the FIA as an official Formula 4 championship. In 2016, the series was upgraded and renamed the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship.
See also
References
- ^ O'Leary, Ben Anderson and Jamie. "FIA reveals Formula 4 plan". autosport.com.
- ^ a b "FIA F4 registered manufacturers" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile.
- ^ "FIA Formula 4 Homologation Regulations" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved 2014.
- ^ "FIA 2014 Formula 4 Technical Regulations" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved 2014.
- ^ (PDF) http://www.crawfordcomposites.com/sites/default/files/Crawford_F4_Racecar_engineering_Formula_4-tune_article_sml-2.pdf. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ^ "Formula 4 Championships". fia.com. 31 March 2015.
- ^ "Ticktum F1 superlicence bid thwarted by eligibility rule". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ "Britishformulaford.co.uk".
- ^ "Launch Formula 4 FIA Mygale in Mexico" (PDF). mygale-cars.com. Mygale. July 2015. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ Allen, Peter (28 October 2015). "Mexican FIA Formula 4 series to launch on Formula 1 grand prix bill". Autosport. Haymarket. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ Jackson, Connor (30 September 2015). "KOIRANEN GP ANNOUNCED AS PROMOTERS OF NEW SPANISH F4 CHAMPIONSHIP". The Checkered Flag. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ "FIA Formula 4 revealed for North America". nbcsports.com. NBC Sports. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ "Announcing Formula 4 South East Asia Championship". 16 November 2015. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ Allen, Peter (24 March 2016). "Renault engine to power new F4 SEA series". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 2016.
- ^ Allen, Peter (25 November 2015). "F4 championship for South East Asia announced". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ "ATCUAE and AUH Motorsport announce Formula 4 championship". 14 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 2015.
- ^ "Ny formel klasse i dansk motorsport" [New formula class in danish motorsport] (in Danish). 12 September 2016. Retrieved 2016.
- ^ "Le Championnat de France F4 se dote de la F4 FIA pour 2018" [French F4 Championship goes FIA F4 for 2018] (in French). 23 August 2017. Retrieved 2017.
- ^ "7th FIA Formula 4 Championship for Mygale!". 24 August 2017. Retrieved 2017.
- ^ "FIA Argentinian F4 championship 2020" [Argentinian F4 championship goes FIA F4 for 2019]. 16 April 2019. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ "Fórmula 4 recebe aval da CBA para estreia no Brasil; categoria dará pontos para "Superlicença" da F1" (in Portuguese). 29 August 2019. Retrieved 2019.
- ^ Stubin, Teemu (11 January 2018). "Täältäkö tulevat uudet suomalaiset F1-tähdet? Suomeen perustetaan uusi formulasarja" (in Finnish). Iltalehti. Retrieved 2018.
- ^ Wood, Elliot (16 June 2018). "Finns set the score in first Formula Academy Finland event at Ahvenisto". Formula Scout. Retrieved 2018.
- ^ "Formula Open Finland yhdistää formulaluokat Suomessa" (in Finnish). Formula Academy Finland. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 2021.
- ^ "Announcement For Drexler-Automotive Formula Cup 2021" (PDF). www.afr-pokale.com/en. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 2021.
- ^ "Australian Formula 4 to be axed after 2019". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved .
External links
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