Australian Formula 4 Championship

CAMS Jayco Australian Formula 4 Championship was an Australian motor racing series for open-wheel cars complying with FIA Formula 4 regulations. The inaugural championship was contested in 2015.

Australian F4 Championship
CategoryFIA Formula 4
CountryAustralia
Inaugural season2015
Folded2019
ConstructorsMygale
Engine suppliersFord
Tyre suppliersHankook
Last Drivers' champion Luis Leeds
Official websiteOfficial website

Formula 4 had been developed and certified by the FIA as the pre-eminent open-wheel development category across the globe; the critical step between elite junior karting, Formula 3 and ultimately Formula 1. Cameron McConville was the original Category Director, with Karl Reindler as Driver Coach and Driving Standards Observer for the championship.

The series struggled for grid numbers from the outset. The first round had 13 cars and that grid size would not be exceeded until 2019 and then only once. The 2018 season never had more than eleven cars and all bar one round of the 2019 season had only eight cars. On the 4th of September 2019, it was announced that the series would not be contested in 2020 but there was a possibility it could continue in the future.[1]

History

In November 2013, the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) announced that it would introduce the FIA Formula 4 category to Australia. This was followed on 12 March 2014[2] by the official launch of the Australian F4 Championship. Australian F4 cars were to use the French Mygale chassis and Ford EcoBoost engine,[2] and the series would comprise seven rounds in conjunction with V8 Supercars events.[3]

Australian recreational vehicle manufacturer Jayco was confirmed as the championship's title sponsor in December 2014 as part of a three-year agreement from 2015 onward.

The first round was held at Townsville on 11 July 2015. AGI Sport's Will Brown was the category's first race winner, with Team BRM's Jordan Lloyd claiming the overall round victory.

Lloyd would then go on to secure the inaugural championship and a $150,000 prize courtesy of Jayco's Road To The World initiative, which assisted Lloyd in securing a USF2000 seat in 2016. Lloyd also received a European Formula 3 test courtesy of Carlin Motorsport.

Car

The championship features Mygale designed and built cars constructed of carbon fibre and featuring a monocoque chassis. Power is provided by a 1.6-litre turbocharged Ford EcoBoost engine.[4]

Champions

Drivers
Season Driver Team Races Pole Wins Podium Fast lap Points Margins
2015 Jordan Lloyd Team BRM 21 5 12 18 11 441 54
2016 William Brown Team BRM 18 4 6 13 4 316 45
2017 Nicholas Rowe AGI Sport 21 7 8 16 11 378 78
2018 Jayden Ojeda AGI Sport 21 5 14 17 15 412 58
2019 Luis Leeds AGI Sport 18 8 9 17 8 365 99

Rookie
Season Driver Team
2015 William Brown AGI Sport
2016 Simon Fallon Dream Motorsport
2017 Ryan Suhle Zagame Motorsport
2018 Lochie Hughes Team BRM
2019 Emerson Harvey Team BRM

References
  1. "Australian Formula 4 to be axed after 2019". www.motorsport.com. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. "CAMS LAUNCHES AUSTRALIAN FORMULA 4 CHAMPIONSHIP AT AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX". CAMS. 12 March 2014.
  3. http://www.v8supercars.com.au/news/championship/cams-announces-exciting-new-formula-4-teaming-with-v8-supercars
  4. Test driving F4: the new pathway to Formula One, www.smh.com.au Retrieved 21 December 2015
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