Starting in the 2016–17 season, the all new Formula 4 UAE Championship was launched by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, and its national affiliate the Automobile & Touring Club of the United Arab Emirates (ATCUAE), who acted as the championship's promoter.[1] Currently, the series is governed by the Emirates Motorsport Organisation (EMSO) and promoted by AUH Motorsports.[2]
 | |
| Category | FIA Formula 4 |
|---|---|
| Country | United Arab Emirates |
| Inaugural season | 2016 |
| Constructors | Tatuus |
| Engine suppliers | Abarth |
| Tyre suppliers | Hankook |
| Drivers' champion |  Freddie Slater |
| Teams' champion |  Mumbai Falcons |
| Official website | Official website |
 Current season | |
History
editIn 2013, the FIA Single seat commission announced their intention to introduce a new category of single seat racing in order to bridge the gap between karting and Formula 3.[3]
Throughout the following two years, the ATCUAE has worked to develop a Formula 4 championship for the UAE, which will be the first in the Middle East and North African region. One of the first steps taken was to appoint Dubai based AUH Motorsports to manage the championship, based on their experience and expertise in having run the regional Radical Sportscars series for several years.[4]
In February 2016, the championship was launched in spectacular fashion in front of the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, with the public unveiling of the car undertaken by HH Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, the Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development and Chairman of the General Authority for Youth and Sports Welfare, and Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the ATCUAE.[5]
Following the launch in February 2016, the car was given its first test around the Dubai Autodrome, driven by Dubai-born Indy Lights driver Ed Jones.[6]
In October 2023, it was announced that the championship will change its name to F4 Middle East Championship from 2025 onwards amidst the long-term expansion to the other countries of the Middle East region.[7]
Format
editThe inaugural 2016–17 championship featured eighteen races over six weekends, four of which were held at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, with the remaining two at the Dubai Autodrome.[8] As of 2021, the championship features twenty races over five rounds. The race weekends consist of two qualifying sessions determining grids for Race 1 and 3. Starting grids of Race 2 are set by the second fastest lap during Qualifying 1 and grids of Race 4 are with the top eight drivers having their positions reversed from Race 3 results.
Car
editThe championship features Tatuus designed and built cars. The cars are constructed out of carbon fibre and feature a monocoque chassis.
From 2016–17 season to 2021 the series used F4-T014 model and 1.4 turbo Abarth engine.[9] The same combination of the chassis and the engine was used in the Italian F4 Championship, F4 Spanish Championship, ADAC Formula 4 and SMP F4 Championship.
In the 2022 season, the series is set to be the host for the global debut of the new second-generation Tatuus F4 race car. The car called F4-T-421 will be a complete rework of Formula 4 car according to the 2nd Generation technical regulations, with the most significant being the introduction of the halo system.[10]
Champions
editDrivers
edit| Season | Driver | Team | Races | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Fastest lap | Points | Margins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 |  Jonathan Aberdein
|
 Team Motopark
|
18 | 10 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 368 | 107 |
| 2017–18 |  Charles Weerts
|
 Dragon Motopark F4
|
23 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 9 | 377 | 52 |
| 2019 |  Matteo Nannini
|
Xcel Motorsport
|
20 | 6 | 7 | 16 | 7 | 363 | 68 |
| 2020 | Francesco Pizzi
|
Xcel Motorsport
|
20 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 300 | 26 |
| 2021 | Enzo Trulli
|
Cram Durango
|
20 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 5 | 319 | 1 |
| 2022 |  Charlie Wurz
|
Prema Racing
|
20 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 255 | 45 |
| 2023 |  James Wharton
|
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
15 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 5 | 232 | 20 |
| 2024 | Freddie Slater
|
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
15 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 172 | 4 |
Teams
edit| Season | Team | Drivers | Poles | Wins | Podiums | Fastest lap | Points | Margins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Team Motopark
|
2 | 10 | 14 | 31 | 18 | 629 | 390 |
| 2017–18 | Dragon Motopark F4
|
3 | 3 | 9 | 19 | 10 | 580 | 19 |
| 2019 | Xcel Motorsport
|
5 | 8 | 11 | 30 | 11 | 632 | 171 |
| 2020 | Xcel Motorsport
|
6 | 3 | 11 | 32 | 9 | 595 | 182 |
| 2021 | Xcel Motorsport
|
9 | 14 | 11 | 34 | 12 | ||
| 2022 | Prema Racing
|
3 | 8 | 10 | 22 | 9 | 550 | 165 |
| 2023 | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
3 | 2 | 8 | 21 | 7 | 444 | 221 |
| 2024 | Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
Rookie
edit| Season | Driver | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 |  Logan Sargeant
|
Team Motopark
|
| 2017–18 | David Schumacher
|
Rasgaira Motorsports
|
| 2019 | Matteo Nannini
|
Xcel Motorsport
|
| 2020 | Francesco Pizzi
|
Xcel Motorsport
|
| 2021 | Enzo Trulli
|
Cram Durango
|
| 2022 |  Rafael Câmara
|
Prema Racing
|
| 2023 |  Tuukka Taponen
|
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
| 2024 | Kean Nakamura-Berta
|
Mumbai Falcons Racing Limited
|
Circuits
edit- Bold denotes a circuit used in the 2024 season.
| Number | Circuits | Rounds | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dubai Autodrome
|
18[a] | 2016–present |
| 2 | Yas Marina Circuit
|
16[b] | 2016–present |
| 3 |  Kuwait Motor Town
|
2[c] | 2023 |
Notes
edit- ^ Dubai Autodrome hosted 3 rounds in 2019–2022, 2 rounds in 2016–17, 2017–18 and 2023 seasons. It will also host 2 rounds in 2024.
- ^ Yas Marina Circuit hosted 4 rounds in 2017–18 season, 3 rounds in 2016–17 season, and 2 rounds in 2019–2022 seasons. It will also host 3 rounds in 2024.
- ^ Kuwait Motor Town hosted 2 rounds in 2023.
References
edit- ^ "Formula 4 Launched in UAE". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 8 February 2016.
- ^ "FIFTH SEASON OF F4UAE CONFIRMED TO BEGIN JANUARY 2021". Formula 4 UAE. 7 September 2020. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
- ^ O'Leary, Ben Anderson and Jamie (21 March 2013). "FIA reveals Formula 4 plan". Autosport.com.
- ^ "ATCUAE AND AUH MOTORSPORT ANNOUNCE FORMULA 4 CHAMPIONSHIP". tracktalk. 14 December 2015. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015.
- ^ "UAE Formula 4 Championship holds promise for 'new generation' of Emirati drivers". The National. 3 February 2016.
- ^ "FIA Formula 4 UAE test at Dubai Autodrome by Ed Jones". YouTube. 17 February 2016.
- ^ "FIA Announces World Motor Sport Council Decisions in Geneva". Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. 2023-10-19.
- ^ "Calendar". Archived from the original on 26 July 2016.
- ^ "F4UAE Car". Formula 4 UAE. Archived from the original on 13 February 2021.
- ^ "F4UAE SET TO HOST GLOBAL DEBUT OF GEN-2 TATUUS RACER". Formula 4 UAE. 14 June 2021. Archived from the original on 14 June 2021.