SMP F4 Championship explained

SMP F4 Championship
Category:FIA Formula 4
Country:Russia and Finland
Region:Northern Europe
Inaugural2:2015
Folded:2019
Constructors:Tatuus
Engines:Abarth
Tyres:Hankook
Champion Driver: Pavel Bulantsev

The SMP F4 Championship (also known as the F4 NEZ Championship by SMP Racing) was a racing series regulated according to FIA Formula 4 regulations. It was based in the FIA's North European Zone and the Netherlands, and was only open to drivers from these countries. The inaugural season was the 2015 SMP F4 Championship.

After the 2019 season SMP Formula 4 Championship lost FIA certification. The series was relocated to Russia as a support series for the Russian Circuit Racing Series. The drivers competes for Cup of Russian Automobile Federation.[1] There is a plan to revive the championship in 2023 with three stages.[2]

History

Gerhard Berger and the FIA Singleseater Commission launched the FIA Formula 4 in March 2013.[3] The goal of the Formula 4 is to make the ladder to Formula One more transparent. Besides sporting and technical regulations, costs are regulated too. A car to compete in this category may not exceed €30,000 in purchase. A single season in Formula 4 may not exceed €100,000 in costs. The SMP F4 was the one of the second phase Formula 4 championship to be launched. The first phase championships was the Italian F4 Championship and the Formula 4 Sudamericana which started in 2014. The SMP championship was launched by SMP Racing, the Russian Automobile Federation, Koiranen GP and AKK-Motorsport on 22 July 2014.[4] Italian race car constructor Tatuus was contracted to design and build all the cars.

The championship expanded out of the FIA North European Zone for its second season. Following the failure to establish a separate Formula 4 championship in the Benelux region, it incorporated two rounds in the Netherlands, and awarded a Dutch Formula 4 Trophy for these two rounds plus a standalone Formula 4 Festival.[5] MP Motorsport also operated cars alongside Koiranen GP, which ran all drivers in the inaugural season. The championship split, with Koiranen GP leaving from 2019. Koiranen GP creating Formula Academy Finland in 2018,[6] continues as the promoter Formula Academy Finland. SMP F4 Championship continue operate SMP Racing, the Russian Automobile Federation.

Car

See also: Tatuus F4-T014. The championship featured Tatuus-designed and built cars. The cars were constructed out of carbon fibre and featured a monocoque chassis. The engine was a 1.4 turbo Abarth. This is the same engine as in the Italian F4 Championship.

Champions

scope=colSeasonscope=colDriverscope=colTeamscope=colPolesscope=colWinsscope=colPodiumsscope=col width="40"Fastest lapsscope=colPointsscope=colClinchedscope=col width="50"Margin
2015 Niko KariN/A47199449Race 18 of 21153
2016 Richard VerschoorN/A1011169339Race 17 of 2069
2017 Christian Lundgaard MP Motorsport7101410292Race 18 of 2174
2018 Konsta Lappalainen Kart in Club Driving Academy47154316Race 21 of 2141
2019 Pavel Bulantsev SMP Racing95115254Race 13 of 1330

Circuits

NumberCircuitsRoundsYears
1 Moscow Raceway82015–2019
2 Ahvenisto Race Circuit42015–2018
3 Sochi Autodrom32015–2017
Alastaro Circuit32015, 2018–2019
Auto24ring32015, 2017
Smolensk Ring32017–2019
7 Circuit Zandvoort22016
Assen Circuit22017–2018
NRING Circuit22018–2019
Autodrom Moscow22018–2019
11 Anderstorp Raceway12016
Kazan Ring12019
Fort Grozny Autodrom12019

Notes and References

  1. Web site: СМП РСКГ-2019: БОЛЬШЕ ГОНОК, БОЛЬШЕ ПИЛОТОВ!. 8 April 2019.
  2. Web site: Календарь СМП РСКГ Формула в 2023 году состоит из трех этапов. 9 February 2023.
  3. Web site: FIA reveals Formula 4 plan. Autosport. 21 March 2013 . 11 December 2014.
  4. News: Koiranen announces new F4 series for North Europe. Allen. Peter. 22 July 2014. Paddock Scout. 11 December 2014.
  5. Web site: Dutch F4 concept to form part of SMP series from 2016. Allen. Peter. 8 January 2016. Paddock Scout. 10 January 2016.
  6. News: Wood. Elliot. SMP trio named among first drivers for 2018 F4 NEZ season. 20 February 2018. formulascout.com. Formula Scout. 14 February 2018.