FIA Formula 4 Championship to be run in Australia from 2015.

[FAS33]

story here: http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/11/07/...ormula-4-2015/



this car looks pretty!!

[GTRMagic]

Rendering the F3s in the country as expensively quick museum pieces

Anyone else see the correlation between dumping Formula Ford and embracing F4?

Presumably they will need to go to Australia's only carmaker to supply a powerplant... Oops

[peckstar]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Rendering the F3s in the country as expensively quick museum pieces

Anyone else see the correlation between dumping Formula Ford and embracing F4?

Presumably they will need to go to Australia's only carmaker to supply a powerplant... Oops

a toyota?

but that aside, wouldnt the series have a motor that would be used, 1.6L

[one five five]

Apart from Formula Ford and to a lesser extent Formula 5000, what other 'international open-wheel formulae' that Australia has adopted have been any sort of success?

Formula Pacific/Mondial promised alot and never delivered. Formula 3 promised alot and has not really delivered, though it looked like it was going somewhere in the mid-00's...

Why will Formula 4 be a success?

[silli]

I agree that Formula Ford has been the most successful open wheel racing category in Australia. The formula is still very strong and competitive and sustainable.

We are lucky in Australia that there is enough momentum for Formula Ford to keep it going.

Name one other category that is raced at historic, state and national level like Formula Ford is.

All the hype about costs is rubbish. There is no way that running a Formula 4 will be cheaper than running a season of Formula Ford. Funny how CAMS still hasn't got a car or an engine or a series or a series administrator but they are speculating that it will be cheaper than Formula Ford.

The new look Formula Ford championship will be amongst the cheapest national racing categories in the country.

Motorsport will never be cheap anyway.

[Racenut]

Formula Ford has had its run, now its time for something more relevant. Ever since the change from the kent engine the category has been fragmented. And Ford have not really been supporting it either. Time for a fresh start.

Formula 4 will look like an F1 car which is better for marketing. The wings give more signage space to the team. The cars will teach drivers more than FF which will help their progression if they want to get to F1.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by Racenut

Formula Ford has had its run, now its time for something more relevant. Ever since the change from the kent engine the category has been fragmented. And Ford have not really been supporting it either. Time for a fresh start.

Agreed. Once Ford switched to the Zetec in Britain 20 years ago, it's been very rough and tumble worldwide for Formula Ford since then and Ford doesn't heavily support it anymore either. Up until then it was the Kent engine worldwide and it was where everyone started.

F3 in Australia had some good years but it never really took off and attracted the depth of entrants and drivers it needed. It probably helped some drivers get experience.

[one five five]

An interesting article here;
http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/11/08/...-wheel-future/

What do quotes like "We will not sit on our hands and allow others to dictate what’s best for motorsport when we’ve been running it for 60 years,” do for anyone, considering alot of those questioning this decision are CAMS members themselves?

Also Formula Ford has always been as much a team & mechanic/engineer training ground as well as drivers, the CAMS plan for F4 seems to do away with that aspect.

I don't see F3 surviving in its current form, they perhaps need to do something to spice up the series there.

[Silver 3]

Originally Posted by one five five

An interesting article here;
http://www.speedcafe.com/2013/11/08/...-wheel-future/

What do quotes like "We will not sit on our hands and allow others to dictate what’s best for motorsport when we’ve been running it for 60 years,” do for anyone, considering alot of those questioning this decision are CAMS members themselves?

Also Formula Ford has always been as much a team & mechanic/engineer training ground as well as drivers, the CAMS plan for F4 seems to do away with that aspect.

I don't see F3 surviving in its current form, they perhaps need to do something to spice up the series there.

The cast at Cams changes but the inane comments never cease.Cams ability to NOT represent the interests it is meant to be serving is legendary.Cams ability to not listen is incredible.

[fomoco]

Best news of the week, instead of everyone wants to drive a V8 SUpercar. A step in the right direction, for assisting Australians to drive the same as overseas and get a leg up. Formula 3 was to do the same , but , Sponsorship, etc all went towards V8 Supercars, because they where smart enought to convince everyone in Aust, that, there Category was the best to promote there product.

I hope ppl , will understand , for future Australians to make it overseas, we need to evolve the categorys , not sit on something , that even the Brand Name doesnt want to Support.

Looking forward to this, Slicks and Wings, just as long as they dont follow the V8 SUperTaxi Circuit, now that would be a downfall.

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by silli

I agree that Formula Ford has been the most successful open wheel racing category in Australia. The formula is still very strong and competitive and sustainable.

We are lucky in Australia that there is enough momentum for Formula Ford to keep it going.

Name one other category that is raced at historic, state and national level like Formula Ford is.

All the hype about costs is rubbish. There is no way that running a Formula 4 will be cheaper than running a season of Formula Ford. Funny how CAMS still hasn't got a car or an engine or a series or a series administrator but they are speculating that it will be cheaper than Formula Ford.

The new look Formula Ford championship will be amongst the cheapest national racing categories in the country.

Motorsport will never be cheap anyway.

Formula Ford(we want support our name) has done wonders over the years, it is now time to evolve and join the rest of the world. Wings and slicks will enhance the racing. FF will survive in state and historic meets. It has been a great cat,but now is the time to move forward, and pinch sposrship of the V8's for this new cat.

[fomoco]

Originally Posted by Racenut

Formula Ford has had its run, now its time for something more relevant. Ever since the change from the kent engine the category has been fragmented. And Ford have not really been supporting it either. Time for a fresh start.

Formula 4 will look like an F1 car which is better for marketing. The wings give more signage space to the team. The cars will teach drivers more than FF which will help their progression if they want to get to F1.

Or we put our heads in the sand and bleat about it, or send every one to Fancy Bettle Racing, Dunlop Dev Series, and everyone drives V8 super taxi.

Here is a chance for for drivers to go forward, and yet, some ppl want to go back to system that was good, but has run its course.

[one five five]

Originally Posted by fomoco

Best news of the week, instead of everyone wants to drive a V8 SUpercar. A step in the right direction, for assisting Australians to drive the same as overseas and get a leg up. Formula 3 was to do the same , but , Sponsorship, etc all went towards V8 Supercars, because they where smart enought to convince everyone in Aust, that, there Category was the best to promote there product.

I hope ppl , will understand , for future Australians to make it overseas, we need to evolve the categorys , not sit on something , that even the Brand Name doesnt want to Support.

Looking forward to this, Slicks and Wings, just as long as they dont follow the V8 SUperTaxi Circuit, now that would be a downfall.

What will F4 have that Formula Ford doesn't exactly?? Since when has 'International relevance' of a category helped get Aussies overseas? Formula Holden gave Aussies just as many chances overseas as any other local formula has (except FFord)

Why will F4 help drivers get overseas better? Why will it be more attractive to sponsors?

The class of open-wheeler has never been the obstacle stopping Aussies going overseas, the obstacle has always been purely and simply money, and i'm not sure how a new name and some wings is going to get local sponsors all of a sudden willing to back Aussies overseas.

And surely getting F4 onto the V8Supercar circuit is crucial to the success of it?

[Racenut]

It is interesting reading peoples thoughts and see how easily people confuse the situation. Comparing Formula Holden or Formula 3 with F4 is a mistake, F4 is about giving young drivers relevant experience when coming from karts. Every category above FFord has aero, F3 has lots of it, so F4 allows drivers to learn about it at lower speeds and grip levels. Why play with a H pattern box and treaded tyres (FF) when you will never use them again. F4 offers aero, sequential trans, slick tyres etc, its the way to go.

To be a commercial success it will have to run with V8 supercars, that will teach drivers about how to get sponsors and service their needs. If a driver wants a career in racing they have to learn that, and quick. Drivers dont work on their cars at a professional level, they just need to generate value for sponsors.

Ahh thats off my chest, I feel better

[ForumNick]

A simple philosophy Racenut.....

But never a truer word spoken (typed) !!!

Congratulations!

[Rally Merc]

The reason f ford has been struggling over the last few years is easy.

Cost. An easy $20 to $30k per round

Im afraid that adding more costs (bigger wheels and tyres, lots of carbon fibre etc) to a category isn't going to encourage more people to rush out and buy one

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Rally Merc

The reason f ford has been struggling over the last few years is easy.

Cost. An easy $20 to $30k per round

Im afraid that adding more costs (bigger wheels and tyres, lots of carbon fibre etc) to a category isn't going to encourage more people to rush out and buy one

Real racing costs real money, hopefully the sponsors. Over forty years of motorsport has taught me that there is no cheap category if you want to run at the front. People moaning about costs just means one thing...they did not do their homework before getting involved and that is no one's fault except their own. The real racers, the ones who want to put it all on the line are those who go OS and suffer over many years to get somewhere. Mark Webber's early racing years in Europe were no picnic and I never him complaining. Casey Stoner was another, would you mortgage your life to go racing? that is what his parents did.

If the class is too expensive too compete in then it will die as others have in the past.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by fomoco

Wings and slicks will enhance the racing.

If it does, that will be a first.

[EfiOz]

Originally Posted by Racenut

It is interesting reading peoples thoughts and see how easily people confuse the situation. Comparing Formula Holden or Formula 3 with F4 is a mistake, F4 is about giving young drivers relevant experience when coming from karts. Every category above FFord has aero, F3 has lots of it, so F4 allows drivers to learn about it at lower speeds and grip levels. Why play with a H pattern box and treaded tyres (FF) when you will never use them again. F4 offers aero, sequential trans, slick tyres etc, its the way to go.

To be a commercial success it will have to run with V8 supercars, that will teach drivers about how to get sponsors and service their needs. If a driver wants a career in racing they have to learn that, and quick. Drivers dont work on their cars at a professional level, they just need to generate value for sponsors.

Ahh thats off my chest, I feel better

^^^^^This.

Thanks for saving me the typing.

[ptclaus98]

20K to 30Ka round for FF? Jesus.

[EfiOz]

I would said at least 30K.

[mountainstar]

Originally Posted by ptclaus98

20K to 30Ka round for FF? Jesus.

Yep. Last I looked if you want to race the national FF series in Australia you are looking at over $200K. For what I do not know. I'm sure the big travel expenses are a part of it as well as fees to be on the V8 Supercars ticket.

A bit pricey for a cockpit, a 4 cylinder engine, some body work, suspension and 4 wheels.

[DAVID PATERSON]

How will F4 be cheaper than FF?

[EfiOz]

I don't think it's ever bee touted as being cheaper, just a better value result. I certainly don't think it'll be anymore expensive than FF.

[Alan52]

What worries me about this (apart from the fact that there are way too many categories in Australia anyway) is that there will be a monopoly supplier of cars and components.History shows that this is a recipe for that supplier to make a lot of money at the expense of competitors.I hope at least the tender process is open and transparent rather than "commercial in confidence" and that the decision isn't the sort of thing that should be referred to ICAC.