South American Formula 4

[NaBUru38]

Hi, folks! The Codasur (South American auto racing committee) has announced at the FIA Americas Congress the creation of the South American Formula 4 Championship for 2014.

It will be aimed at karting graduates and young talents. The cars will have Signature carbon fibre chassis, Fiat Abarth 140-160 hp engines.

It will feature drivers and circuits from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and possibly other countries.

The series bosses are Jorge Muraglia, Reinaldo Cozzani, Javier Ciabbatari and Gerardo "Tato" SalaverrÃ*a. The website is www.f4motorsports.com.

It's similar in concept to the Panam GP, which is held mainly in North and Central America. THis one is aimed at the Southern Cone.

[Mekola]

Noted that the series will have its HQ in Uruguay. That's an advantage, considering Argentinian restrictions over imports.

[EastonNeston]

Sounds very similar to the FR1600 concept that is been used in Europe

[Go_For_Pole]

Yes except that I guess it will be the updated Signatech chassis as the FR1600 is F3 2008 safety spec? And also to get F4 designation by FIA this updated chassis will have to be within the cost limits? If so then the comments made by Renault Sport boss recently were over the top, he claimed that Signatech's chassis was too expensive for F4 as it is now, let alone in updated safety spec. Maybe he meant it is too expensive with two middleman parties involved ;-)

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

I suppose this will be the first junior single-seater series in South/Latin America that will be taken seriously in Europe.

[NaBUru38]

It all depends on the drivers it can find. If it's >20 decent karting graduates, it can work.

F4 is a brand. It doesn't really matter if the car is the same as in Europe. It only matters if it helps to develop drivers, and is good for teams about price, equality and reliability.

[NaBUru38]

The Signatech car was unveiled last weekend at the Auto Glasurit, a motorsport show held at the El Pinar autodrome in Uruguay. (I had two parties on Saturday and Sunday, so I couldn't go.)

According to a comment in that page, costs are above US$ 7,000 per race. (The minimum wage is US$ 500.)

[Formulahistory]

Very interested but I don't see the market for this series. The Panam GP series and the Sudam F3 series has a very short grid. Is there really a interested in Formula Racing?

[Biscuits In A Red Bull]

Originally Posted by Formulahistory

Very interested but I don't see the market for this series. The Panam GP series and the Sudam F3 series has a very short grid. Is there really a interested in Formula Racing?

Look at all of the Argentinian FR classes and yes there really is, but it'll be limited. 20 cars would be amazing in the first season.

[NaBUru38]

The Argentine rounds of the South American Formula 4 will be held jointly with the Top Race.

[gomick]

Formula 4 will be launched in Australia in 2015 aswell, replacing Formula Ford which will have its final season in 2014...

[Formulahistory]

Interesting movements. Hope there will be a revival of Formula Racing in that areas of world.

[NaBUru38]

Argentine drivers Alessandro Salerno and Mauro Marino have tested the car and are delighted. They will be joined by Alfredo Maffioly. Uruguayan drivers expected are Juan Manuel Casella and Frederick Balbi.

[NaBUru38]

2014 South American F4 calendar:

April 6 - Mercedes (Uruguay)
May 4 - El Pinar (Uruguay)
June 22 - Chaco (Argentina)
Aug 3 - Termas de RÃ*o Hondo (Argentina)
Aug 24 - Potrero de los Funes (Argentina)
Sept 14 - TBC (Argentina)
Sept 28 - La Pampa (Argentina)
Oct 19 - Curitiba (Brasil)
Nov 9 - TBC (Uruguay)
Dec 14 - TBC (Argentina)

All Argentine races announced so far are Top Race weekends.

[NaBUru38]

Here's the Facebook page.

[ivanalesi]

From what I have seen, the Argentinian FR works very, very well. Many chassis manufacturers, big grids, by far the best TV coverage(better than GP2!) and so on. Argentina isn't lacking proper single-seater championship, it's Brazil. I don't understand why 6 of the races are in Argentina? This is a stupid decision by FIA and the local ASN. It would be more relevant if it was F4 Chile, Peru & Bolivia. Now they're trying to steal drivers from the Argentinian market because they have fancier cars. I can't see how this will help the local motorsport.
I remember Massa tried to establish a single-seater championship with these exact Signature chassis, but the older spec, I don't know why it felt. They should have tried to do it again with more help from the Brazilian federation.

[NaBUru38]

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

From what I have seen, the Argentinian FR works very, very well. Many chassis manufacturers, big grids, by far the best TV coverage(better than GP2!) and so on.

There are many Formula Renault championships in Argentina. You must be referring to FR 2.0, which is a support series to the Super TC2000. There is also the Fórmula Renault Plus, which is less relevant but still attracts young karters.

Originally Posted by ivanalesi

I don't understand why 6 of the races are in Argentina? This is a stupid decision by FIA and the local ASN. It would be more relevant if it was F4 Chile, Peru & Bolivia. Now they're trying to steal drivers from the Argentinian market because they have fancier cars. I can't see how this will help the local motorsport.

Perú is too far away, and Bolivia and Paraguay have no real road racing scene. There could be a race in Chile, I agree.

[ivanalesi]

Yes, I was talking about it. I liked it a lot when I watched some races, big grids and lots of action all as support series to Super TC2000 with the big crowds.
I thought Paraguay had some scene, certainly I remember some rally drivers from there... And Chile has F3, sort of

[NaBUru38]

Paraguay has rally, but not circuit racing.

[NaBUru38]

By the way, I wonder if FIA will mind the Chilean F3...

[ivanalesi]

hahahah and then file a trade mark infridgement case in the Chilean court

[Juan Ignacio]

Hey guys, new guy on the forum and i thought I´d start with a post in a thread from a local series, since I´m from Argentina.
I think this is a great series and one that finally gets some recognition from the rest of the world, because South American F3 isn´t really an important series. I hope this will help the drivers in their transition from South America to Europe.
Any idea about how many drivers are already committed to this series? And any news on the tv coverage? If it attracts just a few cars and doesn´t get any tv time it will go unnoticed like S.A. F3 and that would be a shame.

On another note, what series would you consider more important?FR 2.0 or Formula renault plus? I always thought FR 2.0 was the most important open wheel series in Argentina, but some Sunday morning i came across a formula renault plus race and i realized it was a 35 lap race, longer than any FR 2.0 race. Any chance Formula renault plus has faster cars and longer races?

[NaBUru38]

Hi, Juan Ignacio! Welcome to Ten-Tenths, I hope that you enjoy your time here.

Every piece of news that I find on South American F4, I post it here. I may miss some information, of course. My main sources for Argentine and Uruguayan motorsport are Corsa, Carburando, Motor Mario and Motortop.

I can only wish that South American F4 is aired live by Carburando. I'm pretty sure that VTV will broadcast the Uruguayan races here, not sure about the other races.

- o -

How good or important is this or that formula racing series depends on what you want. Feeder formula series are supposed to develop drivers to help them advance to professional motorsport, be it F1, IndyCar, sports cars or national touring car championships.

Now, drivers also want cheap costs and good promotion, so they find sponsors to fund their career. Also, they prefer to race supporting major championships, so team owners see them race, and they can get tips from professional drivers.

And of course they prefer full grids, where they can beat as many other drivers as possible.

So it depends on what you seek.

[Juan Ignacio]

Thanks for your answer.
When they race together with Top Race it´s probably going to be broadcasted on Carburando, but my guess is that when they race in another country we won´t be able to see it in Argentina
I guess we will just have to wait for the start of the season to see how it turns out.

[Mekola]

We have to wait until April 6th when at Mercedes (Uruguay) will kickstart the F4S season. Then we Argentinians will know if races abroad will be TV broadcasted in our country or not. I think they should, because several Argentinian entrepeneurs like Reynaldo Cozzani are involved in the series.

Welcome Juan Ignacio to the forum!