History:

In an effort to establish a global ladder for the Road to F1, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)—the governing body for FORMULA 1—launched Formula 4 championships around the globe in 2016 to provide young drivers an opportunity to take the first step from karting into the world of single-seater racing. Designed to be a globally recognized, yet affordable, step, the championships allowed drivers to compare themselves to the best young talent, not only in their own country, but across other championships around the world.

SCCA Pro Racing aligned with the FIA to launch Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) in 2016, hosting their opening round at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Two years later, the organizations once again collaborated to launch F3 Americas Championship, which is known today as Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), in North America. Racing America acquired the commercial rights of both F4 U.S. and FR Americas in 2021, and has continued to grow the championships with their support and partnership. The organization paired F4 U.S. and FR Americas with the Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) to create a ladder system and provide an entryway for drivers as young as age 14 to begin their climb toward a career in F1. 

These three championships combine to provide one of the fastest ways for an aspiring driver to gain experience to an international racing platform. With driving training, unmatched affordability and strong manufacturer support, competitors can grow and succeed into the higher levels of motorsports.

 

Weekend Format & Overall Benefits: 

Each race weekend offers plenty of track time for drivers: test and official practice sessions, a 30-minute qualifying session, and three 30-minute races/rounds per weekend. Altogether, the drivers have nearly four hours of track time, allowing them to increase their experience in open-wheel racing while still making time for driver development.

One of F4 U.S.'s greatest strengths compared to other young driver categories, is the advanced driver development offerings available to participants. Between series-organized learning opportunities and analytical work carried out by the drivers in cooperation with their engineers, F4 U.S. prepares drivers in a unique way.

The series is a spec series, utilizing the second-generation F4 (F422) chassis from Ligier Automotive, tires from Hankook Tire America and a Ligier Storm V4 engine with 180hp. Providing capped costs to allow multi-car and single-car teams the same opportunity of success, the cars still allow for significant setup adjustments, increasing the drivers' technical knowledge, and gaining valuable experience that will be required as they move up the open-wheel ladder, whether racing for a large or small team. 

 

Awards & Recognitions: 

The top-three finishing drivers at each individual round will receive prize money, with additional contingency awards, such as the Omologato Perfectly-Timed Move of the Race, also distributed.

At the Year-End Awards Celebration, drivers from FR Americas, F4 U.S. and Ligier JFC join together for a night celebrating the champions. Scholarships, prize money and contingency awards are distributed across each of the three championships, with the top-finishing drivers in the FIA-certified FR Americas and F4 U.S. also earning FIA Super License Points. In total, drivers across the three championships are eligible for nearly $900,000 in awards and scholarships throughout the course of the year. 

 

Quick Links: 

Find out more information on the Championship by taking the next step:

• Check out the Championship Overview & Buyers Guide
• Find an F4 U.S. team
• Register for the season

Still have questions? Please contact us.