Written by Tom Evans, edited by Umut Yelbasi
Unfortunately there was no Formula 1 last weekend, which is rather unusual since most of us are getting used to the frequent double and triple headers that we have been watching over the recent months. In need of something to fill my weekend with, I decided to tune into the British F4 Championship to be pleasantly surprised by the quality of racing and some much needed entertainment! So here is my rundown of why you should definitely tune into the remaining rounds of the season!
Illustration by Tom Evans
Reason 1: The Tracks and Watching the Races
As the name suggests, British F4 races exclusively in Britain. The track list includes Thruxton, Snetterton, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Knock Hill, Croft, Silverstone and Donnington Park. These are all tracks with at least a grade 3 FIA certification, so they provide excellent facilities and awesome racing. As well as the great tracks, ticket prices are very low compared to other motorsport events, even going as little as £40 for a weekend! And as an added bonus, British F4 accompanies the British Touring Car Championship so you can watch those races whilst at the track as well.
In terms of TV viewing, all Sunday races are free to watch on ITV4 in the UK, adding to a long list of reasons to tune in!
Reason 2: The Car and the Teams
Like many support series, British F4 is a spec series meaning all teams must run the exact same Mygale chassis, Ford 1.6L Ecoboost Engine and Hankook F200 slick tyres. Whilst this Ford engine only pumps out 160HP – which is half of what you get in a stock VW Golf R – the sheer lightness of the chassis means that these cars are still good for over 160mph (257,5 kmh). And on top of that, these cars are about 30mm narrower than their F1 equivalent, which helps the wheel to wheel racing to be even closer.
Now the teams. In series such as FIA F3 or FIA F2 we have gotten accustomed to teams such as Prema and ART Grand Prix dominating the field with their superior team management and engineers. But in British F4, all 6 teams (Arden, Argentina, Carlin, Fortec, JHR and Richardson Racing) are operating at a similar level, meaning that it’s all about the drivers to supply the good results.
Reason 3: The Drivers
As with any feeder series, British F4 boasts some serious talent, with drivers looking to prove themselves to any prying eyes potentially watching. This amounts to all drivers pushing themselves to the limit (and occasionally over it) to prove their worth. But unlike other series, British F4 aims to be one of the cheapest single seater series in the world. This makes money less of an issue, making it easier for the most talented drivers to enter the world of racing.
Reason 4: The Future
Next year, the series will be rebranded into the GB4 championship, with a brand new chassis, halo, tyre supplier and engine. This shows that lots of brands and sponsors see potential in the series, which means you should too! So next time you see an article about it on your go-to motorsport news website (which should definitely be us), don’t forget to check it out!
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