Battle of the F4 UK Championships… Who will win?

[BtccLee]

Battle of the F4 UK Championships… Who will win?

So BRDC F4 is headed to a new chassis for 2016 (Most likely). Not, as far as I understand, a bona fide FIA F4 specification one. Rather one that meets FIA F4 safety standards to allow 15 year olds to contest the series. This move has prevented a lot of teams jumping ship to the rival and means BRDC F4 should maintain its’ presently very healthy grid levels…

The rival. FIA Formula 4 UK, presently known as Formula Ford. Will run a bona fide FIA F4 specification chassis, allowing it to be open to 15 year olds as of 2015. Chassis likely to be Mygale. Calendar already confirmed in the BTCC ten rounds. More races so likely to be higher budgets. MSA backed. Current grids low…

Then we have Carlin and Fortec, both of whom have pledged allegiance to FIA F4. However, with the pull of 15 year olds being a major factor, could the present success of BRDC F4 tied in with the chassis change attract them? Same for Scorpio Motorsport who were looking at FIA F4.

So, who will win? Or can they both co-exist (I: e be equally as healthy. Not the present situation of one being far healthier than the other)? I would like to believe the latter. See I can believe BRDC F4 will remain as healthy as with Palmer’s buy back scheme, which means great grids. I believe certain components will be carried forward from the FFords of present, most importantly electrics and engines. But even if Ford retains all of the present teams, that is still not a good number. It needs to attract new teams, like the Carlins and the Fortecs. But will they be pulled away? Will present teams be pulled away? Or will the allure of the FIA stature give it new gravitas?

Discuss… And conclude by answering this… Who will win? Or can they both co-exist? As stated, I say the latter…

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I believe that they can both co-exist as the 2 major junior single seater categories on the UK, and only time will tell...

[andrewc]

Tatuus chassis selected by MSV for 2016 championship & 2015 autumn championship. 26+4 cars ordered for delivery September next year.

Maybe there should be a super race at the end of the season, eligible for all F4 championships - the equivalent of Macau for F3...

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by andrewc

Maybe there should be a super race at the end of the season, eligible for all F4 championships - the equivalent of Macau for F3...

Bit difficult with all different chassis and engines.

[andrewc]

The engines are all supposed to be there or thereabouts according to fia f4 regs though. Reg 3.3 and appendix 2

[JohnMiller]

Turbos and NAs. 1 litre to 1.6s. Different chassis. Different wheels.

[BtccLee]

This is fascinating, especially the fact BRDC F4 has ordered above the present entry. Expecting to attract new teams then. The key to this is the fact that MSV have now put all of their cards on the table, nothing else they can really do until 2015 Winter.

MSA/FFord have a lot left to reveal and it is coming soon. They need to build a very strong foundation next year. If they can carry over some componentry from the present Myagles which should be possible, bearing in mind that their FIA F4 chassis should be from the company, then they may be able to offset some of the cost . One thing I do wonder is whether FFord may now have a slight advantage. They have seen what Palmer has to give and have a product to compare against. They can sell themselves against that product. They have the TOCA deal. They have the FIA support. They will have the full organisation ready, budgets etc etc.

Advantage BRDC F4 right now, 100%. Ford now knows what they have to fight back against. This will be brilliant to watch.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

The current BRDC F4 series seems to be attracting a new team every other round! Ordering 26-30 cars is only a good thing for them, as they already look close to being oversubscribed as it is! Can't wait to see how this pans out, and already it looks as if at least one of the series' will be going strong for the next few seasons!

[brakedisc]

There will be no winners and being brutal about it what is the point in even bothering with junior formulas when all you need is a daddy that raced in F1.

The FIA, MSA and the bribemaster have a lot to answer for.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Josh Hill never had it that easy! Maybe Verstappen will be the special one...

[Go_For_Pole]

I admire the optimism. With nearly all European countries having a national or regional F4 series, UK would anyway have to fill up the grid with domestic drivers. It was anyway difficult enough and now with two series it will be impossible. Also I am wrong that MSA tied 15 yr old drivers eligibility to chassis spec and not engine spec? Isn't Palmer's series too powerful for F4 criteria?

[andrewc]

A 15yr old must have an International C Kart Licence to qualify.

Cars must comply with current FIA F3 or FIA F4 crash test / safety requirements.

and

Weight:Power ratio must be 3kg per hp or greater.

If the retain the Ford Duratec Motor rated at 185bhp, then the car would need to weigh at least 555kg to meet that.

[Go_For_Pole]

85 more kilos

[BtccLee]

Little piece in Autosport from Richard Dutton of Fortec. Suggests that Ford F4 will be the series of choice and indicates he would like to enter four cars and believes Carlin will do the same. Richardson Racing were advertising for entrants at Rockingham, FIA Ford Formula 4 Championship. Not sure if that will be the title. Should know soon, Ford said early September so there maybe news this week and in Autosport , as I would say we are already moving into mid-September.

[Aguri]

Originally Posted by BtccLee

Little piece in Autosport from Richard Dutton of Fortec. Suggests that Ford F4 will be the series of choice and indicates he would like to enter four cars and believes Carlin will do the same. Richardson Racing were advertising for entrants at Rockingham, FIA Ford Formula 4 Championship. Not sure if that will be the title. Should know soon, Ford said early September so there maybe news this week and in Autosport , as I would say we are already moving into mid-September.

Expect more international entrants to be interested in the FIA version, as they may already have experience in the cars in South America, Japan or Australia before moving to Britain/Europe to further their careers.

Im surprised the BRDC F4 isn't seeking a greater relationship with series like the euro formula open and toyota winter series in NZ, as between them they could potentially build a more budget pathway and use that as a point of difference for teams and drivers.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

The cars are all different, but I still expect more international drivers to come to the FIA version. Maybe BRDC F4 could've been the pathway into British F3, but that series isn't going strong.

[Aguri]

Huge development in this story today, BRDC have done a deal with Tatuus to use the FIA F4 chassis they run in the Italian FIA F4.

http://www.formula4.com/news/brdc-f4...-supplier.aspx

So the UK is going to have 2 competing series using exactly the same regulation cars. This nullifies a lot of the advantage the Ford-F4 had, and probably shifts the advantage firmly in favour of the BRDC series considering their strong grid and buy back scheme.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by Aguri

Huge development in this story today

Hardly, as the news predates the thread!

JP has missed a trick here. A panicky move to get 15 year olds in the future, not necessarily 2015, via a car which meets the MSA spec for 15 yr olds - as long as he reduces horsepower by 25 bhp.

This doesn't make it FIA F4 in anyway, just a British series called F4.

In hindsight, I bet he wishes he hadn't fought the FIA last year as he has had the expense anyway and is now the secondary show in town.

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

http://www.britishformulaford.co.uk/...-flying-start/

15 cars on their way! Let the fight begin!