With preparations well underway for the 2017-18 season of the Formula 4 South East Asia (F4 SEA) Championship – certified by FIA, the excitement is building among young drivers taking their first step to F1 in Asia.
Set to support the forthcoming 2017 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysian Grand Prix, the season’s opening event will see Asia’s rookies participate in six (6) races from 29 September to 1 October.
Isyraf Danish (16, Malaysian, F4 SEA 2016 Event 6 Star Driver Champion): “I am super excited for the F1 support race at the Sepang circuit, in front of my home crowd and fans. I’ve been waiting for this since I was 5 years old. This is a very big opportunity. I’m really looking forward!”
The Malaysian leg of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship will also provide an opportunity for the up-and-coming South East Asian stars to get up close and personal with their F1 heroes, including Lewis Hamilton, Sebastien Vettel and Lance Stroll – the youngest F1 podium finisher and the first F4 champion to reach Formula 1.
Lance Stroll, Williams F1 Driver: “I think that F4 is a good formula as it gives you the opportunity to race in a single seater at a young age. I was the F4 Champion in my country. I drove under the Canadian flag and became the Italian F4 champion in 2014.”
Peter Thompson, F4 SEA Organiser: “Is F1 your dream? is the force that drives Formula 4 South East Asia. Having the F4 SEA first event of 2017 in front of the Malaysian Formula 1 Grand Prix audience is hugely important for the development of formula motorsport in Asia. For our young drivers it is the perfect stage for them to showcase their talents. F4 champion and Williams F1 driver Lance Stroll is proof that F1 dreams can come true!”
F4 SEA is one of 12 worldwide championships in the FIA’s F4 global format, designed to help young drivers cost-effectively transition from karting to formula sport, while collecting F1 Super Licence points. 2014 F4 champion, Lance Stroll, had sufficient Super License points in the bag from his F4 and F3 championship wins to make the transition directly to F1, without having to compete in F2.
The only FIA driver development championship in South East Asia, F4 SEA provides young racers with 30 race starts including six races supporting the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix. With extensive track time, over 5 hours (400 kilometres) in front of Formula 1, and F4 SEA’s unique open data access, drivers can be confident of developing their racecraft. Global television exposure via F4 SEA worldwide broadcast ensures that the Formula 4 SEA’s six-race-per-event championship provides excellent value for money.
