Australian Formula 4 Championship

Last updated

Formula 4 Australia Certified by the FIA
Australian F4 Championship logo.jpeg
The first iteration of the Formula 4 Australia Certified by the FIA Championship
Category FIA Formula 4
CountryAustralia
Malaysia
RegionOceania
Asia
Inaugural season 2015
Constructors Mygale (2015–2019)
Tatuus (2024)
Engine suppliers Ford (2015–2019)
Stellantis FIRE (2024)
Tyre suppliers Hankook (2015–2019)
TBD (2024)
Drivers' champion Flag of Australia (converted).svg Luis Leeds
Teams' champion Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team BRM
Motorsport current event.svg Current season

Formula 4 Australia Certified by the FIA is an upcoming Australian motor racing series for open-wheel cars complying with FIA Formula 4 regulations. The inaugural championship, known as the CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship, was organised from 2015 to 2019.

Contents

Formula 4 was developed and certified by the FIA as the pre-eminent open-wheel development category across the globe; the critical step between elite junior karting, Formula 3 and ultimately Formula 1. Cameron McConville was the original Category Director, with Karl Reindler as Driver Coach and Driving Standards Observer for the championship.

History

In November 2013, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) announced that it would introduce the FIA Formula 4 category to Australia. This was followed on 12 March 2014 [1] by the official launch of the Australian F4 Championship. Australian F4 cars were to use the French Mygale chassis and Ford EcoBoost engine, [1] and the series would comprise seven rounds in conjunction with V8 Supercars events. [2]

Australian recreational vehicle manufacturer Jayco was confirmed as the championship's title sponsor in December 2014 as part of a three-year agreement from 2015 onward.

The first round was held at Townsville on 11 July 2015. AGI Sport's Will Brown was the category's first race winner, with Team BRM's Jordan Lloyd claiming the overall round victory.

Lloyd would then go on to secure the inaugural championship and a $150,000 prize courtesy of Jayco's Road To The World initiative, which assisted Lloyd in securing a USF2000 seat in 2016. Lloyd also received a European Formula 3 test courtesy of Carlin Motorsport.

The series struggled for grid numbers from the outset. The first round had 13 cars and that grid size would not be exceeded until 2019 and then only once. The 2018 season never had more than eleven cars and all bar one round of the 2019 season had only eight cars. On the 4th of September 2019, it was announced that the series would not be contested in 2020 but there was a possibility it could continue in the future. [3]

On 27 November 2023, it was confirmed that China-based Top Speed, which promotes the Formula Regional Asian Championship, and Formula 4 champions representing the Middle East and South East Asia regions, will promote the revived Formula 4 Australia Certified by the FIA championship. The revived series will be a Southern Hemisphere autumn to winter series (May to September) as the cars will be sourced from the other series Top Speed organises, which are autumn to winter series in the Northern Hemisphere (October to February). The Northern Hemisphere "winter series" provides a benefit for drivers who raced in the other Top Speed-promoted series in regards to FIA regulations on Superlicence points, meaning under regulations, a driver can participate in the Australian series while also participating in either South East Asia or the Middle East. Four rounds will be held in Australia, with the first two at Tailem Bend in May and June, with a July round in Ipswich, and an August round at Eastern Creek, with the final round held September at Petronas Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia. [4]

Car

The original championship featured Mygale designed and built cars constructed of carbon fibre and featuring a monocoque chassis. Power is provided by a 1.6-litre turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine. [5]

The revived championship will use the Tatuus F4-T421 with a Stellantis FIRE engine carrying the Abarth performance branding. [4]

Champions

Drivers

SeasonDriverTeamRacesPoleWinsPodiumFast lapPointsMargins
2015 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jordan Lloyd Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team BRM 21512181144154
2016 Flag of Australia (converted).svg William Brown Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team BRM 184613431645
2017 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nicholas Rowe Flag of Australia (converted).svg AGI Sport2178161137878
2018 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jayden Ojeda Flag of Australia (converted).svg AGI Sport21514171541258
2019 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Luis Leeds Flag of Australia (converted).svg AGI Sport188917836599

Rookie

SeasonDriverTeam
2015 Flag of Australia (converted).svg William Brown Flag of Australia (converted).svg AGI Sport
2016 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Simon Fallon Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dream Motorsport
2017 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ryan Suhle Flag of Australia (converted).svg Zagame Motorsport
2018 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lochie Hughes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team BRM
2019 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Luis Leeds Flag of Australia (converted).svg Team BRM

Circuits

NumberCircuitsRoundsYears
1 Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 6 [lower-alpha 1] 2015–2019
2 Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney Motorsport Park 52015–2019, 2024
3 Flag of Queensland.svg Queensland Raceway 42015–2018, 2024
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg Sandown Raceway 4 [lower-alpha 2] 2015–2017
5 Flag of Queensland.svg Surfers Paradise Street Circuit 32015–2017
6 Flag of Tasmania.svg Symmons Plains Raceway 22016, 2018
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg Winton Motor Raceway 2 [lower-alpha 3] 2018
Flag of South Australia.svg The Bend Motorsport Park 2 [lower-alpha 4] 2019, 2024
9 Flag of Queensland.svg Townsville Street Circuit 12015
Flag of New South Wales.svg Homebush Street Circuit 12015
Flag of Western Australia.svg Barbagallo Raceway 12017
Flag of New Zealand.svg Pukekohe Park Raceway 12018
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg Albert Park Circuit 12019
14 Flag of Malaysia.svg Sepang International Circuit 02024

Notes

  1. Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit hosted 2 rounds in 2019.
  2. Sandown Raceway hosted 2 rounds in 2017.
  3. Winton Motor Raceway hosted 2 rounds in 2018.
  4. The Bend Motorsport Park hosted 2 rounds in 2019, and it will host 2 rounds in 2024.

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References

  1. 1 2 "CAMS LAUNCHES AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 4 CHAMPIONSHIP AT AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX". CAMS. 12 March 2014.
  2. "CAMS announces exciting new Formula 4 teaming with V8 Supercars".
  3. "Australian Formula 4 to be axed after 2019". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  4. 1 2 van Leeuwen, Andrew. "Formula 4 to be relaunched in Australia". Speedcafe . Speedcafe Pty . Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  5. Test driving F4: the new pathway to Formula One, www.smh.com.au Retrieved 21 December 2015