The first step to F1 in Asia, the FIA-certified Formula 4 South East Asia Championship (F4SEA) will be powered by a Renault Sport Racing F4R engine. Firhat Mokhzani and Peter Thompson of Triple A, the promoters of the new FIA Formula 4 SEA Championship, have today confirmed their choice of Renault as the exclusive engine supplier. The innovative and cost-effective format of F4SEA has created local and global interest and will contribute to the advancement of motorsport in the region.
The first round of the new F4SEA Championship will take place on 6-7 August 2016 at the Sepang International Circuit, powered by a newly-designed Renault F4R engine. The engine is based on the 1998cc F4R production engine and will be fitted to a new homologated FIA Formula 4 race car.Ā The 16-valve engine is naturally aspirated and has a power limit of 160bhp.
Renault Sport technicians have carefully adapted the lightweight F4R engine to the FIA Formula 4 technical specification with the aim of producing a reliable, stable and easy-to-maintain engine for the hot and humid Asian climates.
With 3,000km of testing at Val de Vienne and Magny-Cours circuits, the engine further confirmed its performance with a test bed endurance run of 8,000km.Ā The promoters have also tested the engine in hot conditions on the Sepang F1 track in Malaysia.
Lead ASN, the Malaysian FIA affiliate, the AAM, announced the new F4SEA Champion-ship last November.Ā MERITUS.GP withĀ 36 Asian FIA motorsport titles over the past 20 years, is the exclusive race engineering services provider for the FIA F4 SEA single operator championship. ThisĀ highly skilled team of Great Professionals will continue to support the international grid while Technical Director and GP2 race-winning engineer Sean Thompson will lead a team of experienced European engineers and instructors.
“We had to match a very tight specification list and are 100% satisfied with the outcome. The global environment and success of the FIA Formula 4 pushed Renault to launch the new F4R engine for 2016 and we are proud to have Formula 4 South East Asia as our first global client.ā –Ā Renault Sport Racing’s Jean-Pascal DauceĀ
“We have 60 yearsā of heritage in the sport and South East Asia does not want to be left behind. The FIA F4SEA will start next August and we want to go full steam and hopefully one of the racers will make it to Formula 1.Ā The AAM is the lead ASN and we have cooperation from the entire FIA Asia Zone: Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand as well as Taiwan and India. It is a big group of ASNs that goes far beyond the shores of Malaysia, and we are all helping to make F4SEA a great success – an international success story to highlight alternative motorsport career opportunities in Asia.” –Ā AAM Chairman HH Tungku Datuk MudzaffarĀ
“Formula 4 SEA is the only FIA-certified championship in South East Asia in which the top 7 drivers will earn super licence points. The FIA have simplified the decision-making for race families and F4SEA is the next step after karting, for the same cost. The Triple A Group will extend our AsiaCup Series āoneā concept to F4SEA and also we hope to F3 as part of the Asian motorsport ecosystem expansion. Todayās Renault Sport Racing F4 engine announcement is a positive development for the sport in the region.” –Ā Firhat Mokhzani of Triple AĀ
