Formula Regional European Championship

Last updated

Formula Regional European Championship
Formula Regional European 01.svg
Category Formula Regional
RegionEurope
Constructors Tatuus
Engine suppliers Renault
Tyre suppliers Pirelli
Drivers' champion Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Slater
Teams' champion Flag of France.svg R-ace GP
Official website formularegionaleubyalpine.com
Motorsport current event.svg Current season

The FIA Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine (FRECA) is a FIA-certified regional European Formula 3 racing series. On 12 October 2018, it was announced that the Italian autosport regulator Automobile Club d'Italia (ACI) and karting promoter WSK would organize the inaugural year of the championship in 2019. [1] Their bid was chosen over Renault Sport's bid with the same chassis, who attracted fewer votes from Single-Seater Commission members. [1] Following the 2020 season, the Formula Renault Eurocup merged with the Formula Regional European Championship to become the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. [2] And was again rebranded for the 2026 season returning to the Formula Regional European Championship name as Alpine left as engine supplier and sponsor to focus on their Formula One Team.

Contents

The championship's first season featured eight rounds on the circuits across Europe with half of them in Italy. [3] Like other Formula Regional championships, it serves as a development series as part of the FIA Global Pathway, and is primarily contested by young drivers seeking a professional racing career. The driver champions receive FIA Super License points. The series is intended to be a stepping stone between Formula 4 and the international FIA Formula 3 Championship. [4] Franco Colapinto was the first driver from the series to make it to Formula One, driving for Williams Racing for the latter part of the 2024 season. 2025 features the next three graduates in the name of Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto and Isack Hadjar, driving for the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls Formula One Team respectively starting from the 2025 season. [5] [6] [7] Many FREC drivers have subsequently competed in the feeder series directly below F1, the FIA Formula 2 Championship.

Car

The championship features Tatuus-designed and built cars. The cars will be constructed out of carbon fibre and feature a monocoque chassis which feature a number of enhanced safety features including the new Halo device and improved side impact protection, and will have a six-speed paddle-shift sequential gearbox. [1] In the 2019 and 2020 seasons, the car was powered by an Alfa Romeo 270PS (200 kW) turbo engine tuned by Autotecnica. [1] After the merge with Formula Renault Eurocup for the 2021 season the championship uses Renault engines. From 2022, the cars feature a push-to-pass system. When pressed, the engine temporarily produces extra power for a period of 15 seconds. Push-to-pass can be used five times during a race. Unlike DRS in Formula One, the push-to-pass system can be used at any time during a race. [8]

Costs

One 2024 estimate puts the cost of competing in a front-running car at around € 1,000,000 per season. The minimum for "back-marker" cars was around € 350,000. These costs are typically met by either the competitors' families or personal sponsors. [9]

Media

Races are livestreamed and are available on YouTube at no cost. [10]

Champions

Racing scene from the 2022 season FREC 2022 Spielberg racing scene.jpg
Racing scene from the 2022 season

Drivers'

SeasonDriverTeam Poles WinsPodiumsFastest lapsPoints% points achievableClinchedMargin
2019 Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Vesti Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 101320946777.833Race 21 of 24131
2020 Flag of Brazil.svg Gianluca Petecof Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 5414735962.435Race 24 of 2416
2021 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Grégoire Saucy Flag of France.svg ART Grand Prix 7810227755.400Race 17 of 2068
2022 Flag of Sweden.svg Dino Beganovic Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 4414230060.000Race 19 of 2026
2023 Flag of Italy.svg Andrea Kimi Antonelli Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 3511530060.000Race 18 of 2039
2024 Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael Câmara Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 7712730961.800Race 18 of 2073
2025 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Freddie Slater Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 6812731362.600Race 19 of 2035

Teams'

SeasonTeam Poles WinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMargin
2019 Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 13164014870Race 23 of 24390
2020 Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 18164312842Race 22 of 24347
2021 Flag of France.svg R-ace GP 35216481Race 20 of 2059
2022 Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 1110216531Race 18 of 20110
2023 Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 77186512Race 20 of 202
2024 Flag of Italy.svg Prema Racing 1312259575Race 17 of 20264
2025 Flag of France.svg R-ace GP 55166455Race 20 of 2025

Rookie

SeasonDriverTeam Poles Wins (rookie)PodiumsFastest lapsPoints (rookie)ClinchedMargin
2019 Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Vesti Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 1013 (14)209467 (506)Race 21 of 24125
2020 Flag of Brazil.svg Gianluca Petecof Flag of Italy.svg Prema Powerteam 54 (7)147359 (430)Race 24 of 2443
2021 Flag of France.svg Isack Hadjar Flag of France.svg R-ace GP 12 (8)53166Race 20 of 2044
2022 Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo Fornaroli Flag of Italy.svg Trident 000083Race 20 of 204
2023 Flag of Norway.svg Martinius Stenshorne Flag of France.svg R-ace GP 35 (13)113261Race 18 of 20150
2024 Flag of Denmark.svg Noah Strømsted Flag of Italy.svg RPM 10 (7)43121Race 20 of 2024
2025 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dion Gowda Flag of the Netherlands.svg Van Amersfoort Racing 00 (14)0038Race 19 of 2036

Drivers graduated to FIA Formula 2 Championship

DriverFormula Regional EuropeanFIA Formula 2Other major titles before FREC
SeasonsRacesWinsPodiumsSeasonsFirst teamRacesWinsPodiums
Flag of Italy.svg Kimi Antonelli 2023 20511 2024 Prema Racing 2623 Italian F4 Championship
ADAC F4 Championship
Flag of Estonia.svg Paul Aron 2021–2022 40815 2023–2024 Trident 3018
Flag of Sweden.svg Dino Beganovic 2021–2022 40413 2024–2025 DAMS 28*1*5*
Flag of Brazil.svg Gabriel Bortoleto 2021–2022 4026 2024 Invicta Racing 2828
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Olli Caldwell 2019 2417 2021–2022 Campos Racing 2600
Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael Câmara 2023–2024 40816 2026 Invicta Racing 000
Flag of Argentina.svg Franco Colapinto 2021 1624 2023–2024 MP Motorsport 2213
Flag of Paraguay.svg Joshua Dürksen 2022–2023 4001 2024–2025 PHM AIX Racing 52*3*9*
Flag of Brazil.svg Enzo Fittipaldi 2019 24213 2021–2024 Charouz Racing System 67213 Italian F4 Championship
Flag of Italy.svg Leonardo Fornaroli 2022 2000 2024–2025 Rodin Motorsport 26*4*8*
Flag of France.svg Isack Hadjar 2021 2024 2023–2024 Hitech Grand Prix 5449
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jake Hughes 2019 303 2020–2022 BWT HWA Racelab 2600 BRDC F4 Championship
Flag of Monaco.svg Arthur Leclerc 2020 23615 2023 DAMS 2601
Flag of France.svg Sami Meguetounif 2021–2023 4104 2025 Trident 22*0*0*
Flag of Italy.svg Gabriele Mini 2021–2022 40313 2024–2025 Prema Racing 26*0*3* Italian F4 Championship
Flag of Colombia.svg Sebastián Montoya 2022 2000 2025 Prema Racing 24*0*3*
Flag of Italy.svg Matteo Nannini 2019–2020 1800 2021 HWA Racelab 800 F4 UAE Championship
Flag of Brazil.svg Gianluca Petecof 2020 23414 2021 Campos Racing 600
Flag of Norway.svg Martinius Stenshorne 2023 20511 2025 Trident 2*0*0*
Flag of Denmark.svg Frederik Vesti 2019 241320 2022–2023 ART Grand Prix 53715
Flag of Estonia.svg Jüri Vips 2020 903 2020–2022 DAMS 59312 ADAC F4 Championship
Flag of Australia (converted).svg James Wharton 2024 20410 2025 Trident 0*0*0*
Flag of Germany.svg Lirim Zendeli 2019 302 2021–2022 MP Motorsport 1900 ADAC F4 Championship

* Season still in progress.

Notes:

Circuits

NumberCircuitsRoundsYears
1 Flag of France.svg Circuit Paul Ricard 72019–present
Flag of Austria.svg Red Bull Ring 72019–present
Flag of Italy.svg Imola Circuit 72019–present
Flag of Spain.svg Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya 72019–2025
Flag of Italy.svg Monza Circuit 72019–present
6 Flag of Italy.svg Mugello Circuit 62019–2024
7 Flag of Hungary.svg Hungaroring 52019, 2022–present
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Circuit Zandvoort 52021–present
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 52021–present
10 Flag of Germany.svg Hockenheimring 32023–present
11 Flag of Italy.svg Vallelunga Circuit 22019–2020
Flag of Italy.svg Misano World Circuit 22020, 2025
Flag of Monaco.svg Circuit de Monaco 22021–2022
14 Flag of Spain.svg Circuit Ricardo Tormo 12021

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Wood, Elliot (12 October 2018). "Italian bid beats Renault to run European regional F3 series". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  2. ↑ Smith, Luke (31 October 2020). "Formula Regional Europe merges with Renault Eurocup for 2021". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  3. ↑ Allen, Peter (2 November 2018). "Prema commits to Italian-promoted European Regional F3 championship". formulascout.com. Formula Scout. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  4. ↑ "The Championship". Formula Regional by Alpine. 2 February 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  5. ↑ Osten, Phillip van (31 August 2024). "Mercedes confirm Antonelli for 2025 F1 seat alongside Russell". F1i.com. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  6. ↑ Iversen, Patrick (31 August 2024). "Mercedes F1 promotes Andrea Kimi Antonelli to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2025". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  7. ↑ "Kick Sauber confirm rookie Bortoleto as second driver for 2025". 6 November 2024.
  8. ↑ Wood, Ida (30 March 2022). "FRegional Europe lays out rules of new push-to-pass system". Formula Scout. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  9. ↑ Series, Feeder (5 April 2024). "A year in, where does Eurocup-3 stand among its rival series?". Feeder Series. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  10. ↑ "Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine". YouTube. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
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