3
The F.4 is
developed to be the
first stepping stone from
go‐kart racing to open‐wheelers. What are
the required features of it?
«This category was created by the FIA to
provide a stepping stone into auto racing for
the drivers coming from go‐karts. The project
started from a clean sheet of paper and the
federation tried to incorporate in it some of
the most interesting aspects that emerged in
motorsports during the last 10 years. The most
significant of them are:
Safety:
composite tubs are
nowadays considered a necessary
safety requirement. In addition to the
consolidated practice of mandating dynamic
homologations (crash‐tests), the research
work done by the FIA Institute has provided
the new car the latest specifications including
a full‐length anti‐intrusion lateral panel.
Formation: the new F4 will help drivers to
step up from karting to open‐wheelers and
that’s why we decided to create a
developmental racecar. The limited downforce
is meant to develop the young drivers’
sensibility in terms of vehicle dynamics. The
FIA also planned the sporting aspects for this
series including two free practices and one
qualifying session plus three races per
weekend. For example, the next Italian F4
champion will come out of a 21‐race schedule.
Budget: the need of containing the running
costs of the car impacted on its design. Its
overall cost is the lowest ever for a car with
this kind of safety and performance features.
The partnership between the FIA and the
manufacturers brought to the use of many
standard components with the goal of
reducing the running and maintenance cost.
The goal is to reduce the mileage costs to
enable a better formation for the drivers.
Promotion: the support that the International
Federation committed to give in terms of
marketing and media must not been
forgotten. And that will be added to the
promotion package delivered by WSK
Promotion in Italy.
dard
