Major changes for the 'fourmula' career ladder

This plague year has seen the re-visioning of many championships and races.

It's an unfortunate reality that motorsport, like any sport, has been forced to take a good hard look at itself. Classic races have been delayed or cancelled worldwide, championships have run truncated or had rounds axed in order to fit into the resurgence part of 2020. And it's not over; Covid is still attacking in Europe, Russia, and of course the USA.

For anyone who has had their lives blighted by this 'tricky' virus, motorsport's travails must seem far away. First world problems. Best viewed from outer space.

But for Kiwi racers it's a huge challenge. It forces them to stay away from friends and family for extended periods of time, leaves them without support networks while racing.

Have F3 crashes at Macau prompted the move to F4?

Now the annual Formula Three race at Macau - traditionally the happy hunting ground of F1 talent spotters, agents and managers - is doing its own version of a 'pivot' and it's not clear they have made a change that will be beneficial to the event or any of the people who rely on it for a career boost.

It switches this month from FIA Formula Three to FIA Formula Four,and will attract a different driver demographic - younger, less experienced, potentially more crash-prone.

The F4 cars may be smaller and easier to drive, offering less scope for aero tuning but that also means they are accessible to racers fresh out of karting and busting to be seen by those managers and talent spotters. Current F3 drivers not so much. There's not a lot to be learned by stepping back down the career ladder into what one Kiwi driver has referred to at 'Formula Noob'. 

Perhaps the recent spectacular F3 crashes were part of the motivation to go back to smaller, simpler, slower cars. Perhaps that will deliver more - and safer - racing. Perhaps.

Or maybe the 'regional' F3 car would have been a better bet. That would have aligned Macau closely with the Asia Pacific F3 series and also with New Zealand's very successful Castrol Toyota Racing Series.

FIA F4 car (British version)

Chassis
FIA homologated carbon monocoque

Engine
Ford EcoBoost 1.6-litre, 160PS

Transmission
6-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shift

Brakes
2-piston callipers

Front/rear suspension
Double wishbones and pushrods, twin adjustable dampers, adjustable anti-roll bar

Safety
To FIA standards: front and rear impact absorbing structures, anti-intrusion front and side panels, roll hoops, removable seat, head restraint, wheel restraint cables, accident data recorder, on-board fire extinguisher, retractable steering wheel and column.

Aerodynamics
Adjustable front and rear wings

Dimensions
4340x1750x950mm

Front wheels
8x13in

Rear wheels
10x13in

Tyres
Hankook racing slicks

FIA price (rolling chassis)
€33,000

FIA optional data/paddle/dash
€6,500

FIA Engine Kit
€10,500

Media drive Malaysian F4 car: https://www.nst.com.my/cbt/2017/08/273302/driving-formula-4-car

FIA F3 car

• Aerodynamics optimised to facilitate overtaking. Very low ride height sensitivity and wide range of suspension set up possibilities.

• Cost effective

• Compliant to FIA F3 2019 safety rules

• Static tests

• Crash tests

• Anti intrusion panels

• Steel Halo

• Wheel tether cables

Technology

• Compromise between performance and cost effectiveness wherever possible

• Extensive use of composite materials

• Sequential gearbox

• Electro-hydraulic gear shift system

• All in one ECU- GCU – Data logger equipment

• High speed data acquisition system but no telemetry

DRS

F1 type Virtual Safety Car & Marshalling system.

Chassis and Bodywork

• Chassis designed by Dallara Automobili

• Carbon Monocoque complying to FIA F3 2019 Safety standards

• Front and rear wing made out of carbon composite material

Engine

• Bespoke Mecachrome 6 cylinder 3.4 litres naturally aspirated 380 HP @ 8000 rpm

• Fly by wire throttle system

Gearbox

• Bespoke six-gear longitudinal gearbox designed by Hewland

• Magneti Marelli electro-hydraulic command via paddle shift from steering wheel

Tyres

• Pirelli tyres

• Three specific compounds developed for F3 to provide the most suitable compound for every circuit

Performance

• A top speed of 300 km/h

• Lateral acceleration up to +/- 2.6 G

• Maximum braking deceleration -1.9 G

• Acceleration 0 – 100 km/h: 3.1 seconds

• Acceleration 0 – 200km/h: 7.8 seconds

 

FIA F2 car

Dimensions

• Overall length: 5224 mm
• Overall width: 1900 mm
• Overall height: 1097 mm (including FOM roll hoop camera)
• Wheelbase: 3135 mm
• Overall weight: 755 kg (driver on-board)

Engine

• V6 - 3.4 litre single turbo charged Mecachrome engine.
• Rated to 620 HP @ 8750 rpm.
• Fly by wire accelerator system.
• Rebuild after 8000 km.
• Maximum Torque 570 Nm @ 6000 rpm.

Performance

• Acceleration: 0 - 100 km/h, 2.90 sec
• Acceleration: 0 - 200 km/h, 6.60 sec
• Maximum speed: 335 km/h (Monza aero configuration + DRS)
• Max. braking deceleration -3.5 G
• Max. lateral acceleration +/- 3.9 G

Safety standards

• Full FIA F1 2017 safety standards.
• Titanium Halo F1 specification.

Monocoque and Bodywork

• Survival cell - Sandwich Carbon/aluminium honeycomb structure/Zylon anti-intrusion panels made by Dallara.
• Front and rear wing - Carbon structures made by Dallara.
• Bodywork - Carbon - Kevlar honeycomb structures made by Dallara.

DRS

• Same functionality of DRS used in Formula One.
• Hydraulic activation.

Gearbox

• 6-speed longitudinal Hewland sequential gearbox.
• Electro-hydraulic command via paddle shift from steering wheel.
• ZF SACHS Carbon clutch.
• No on-board starter.
• Non hydraulic ramp differential.

Fuel cell

• FIA Standard.
• Premier FT5 125 litres.

Electronic features

• Magneti Marelli Marvel SRG 480 ECU/GCU including data logging system.
• Magneti Marelli PDU 12-42 power supply management unit.
• CAN data acquisition pre-equipment.
• Beacon receiver.
• F1 type VSC & Marshalling system.

Suspension

• Double steel wishbones, pushrod operated, twin dampers and torsion bars suspension (F) and spring suspension (R).
• Adjustable ride height, camber and toe.
• Two way (F) / Four way (R) adjustable Koni dampers.
• Adjustable anti-roll bar (Front/Rear).

Brakes

• 6 pistons monobloc Brembo callipers.
• Carbone Industry carbon-carbon brake discs and pads.

Wheels and tyres

• New 18 inches rims introduced in 2020.
• O.Z. Racing magnesium rims.
• 18” x 12” front wheel dimension.
• 18” x 13.7” rear wheel dimension.
• F2 specific Pirelli slick / wet tyres.
• TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System).

Steering system

• Non-assisted rack and pinion steering system.
• XAP steering wheel with dashboard, gear change, clutch and DRS paddles, marshalling & VSC display.

Camera equipment

• Roll hoop, nose cone and face shot camera pre-equipment.

New normal in the career ladder

A further complication: the organisers of the FIA F3 and F2 championships have agreed with the FIA a range of measures aimed at controlling costs in the respective championships.

Laudable, yup. Effective?

The championships have been busy negotiating with suppliers like Mecachrome, Renault-aligned engine suppliers, to cut costs.

Costs related to logistics and freight will also be cut for both F2 and F3, and car change-outs will only happen on a three year cycle.

The 2019 Formula 3 car’s specs will be unchanged for 2021 and is likely to remain the same for the following seasons, with the next three-year cycle starting in 2022.

Finally, one of the teams’ variable costs is the number of events per season which directly impacts their budget. The championships will visit fewer circuits from next year, and though they follow F1 they will take turn about at each round - some will have F3 and some will have F2.

From 2021, each event will feature three races instead meaning F2’s calendar will consist of eight events but will keep a total of 24 races. This means that the F2 teams will save up to one third of their logistics costs. 

Formula 3’s calendar will comprise seven events, but twenty-one races in total, thus increasing the overall mileage per season.