This year marks the debut of the Motorsport Australia AU4 Championship, a revitalised open-wheel racing series aimed at creating a definitive pathway for emerging talent to reach the highest levels of Formula car racing.
This new category succeeds the Formula 4 Australian Championship, presenting an innovative strategy for cultivating the next wave of racing drivers.
Commencing in 2025, the championship will introduce a split-grid format, catering to competitors as young as 14 by segregating them into two classes.
Drivers aged 14 and older will compete in first-generation 2015 Mygale-Ford F4 vehicles, which have previously been piloted by future Formula 1 stars such as Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, Liam Lawson, and Jack Doohan.
Meanwhile, those 15 years and above will race in the second-generation 2022 Tatuus-Abarth F4 cars, the very same models currently utilised in European Formula 4 competitions.
Adam Gotch, the series manager for the AU4 Championship and founder of AGI Sport, the promotional body behind the AU4 series, has emphasised the significance of this shift in the Australian motorsport landscape.
“AGI Sport has been dedicated to developing young Australian and New Zealand drivers on local circuits before ultimately taking them overseas to compete in Europe and the USA,” Gotch stated.
“However, this does not replicate the experience of racing in a national-level championship. Our top talents have often needed to leave the country at a young age to gain such experience. The AU4 Championship will alter that narrative.”
He also expressed his excitement for this new chapter in Formula 4 racing within Australia.
“With drivers like Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli transitioning from the Tatuus-Abarth to Formula 1 seats in 2025, the Formula 4 pathway is crucial for young Australian drivers with global aspirations. The sooner they can acquire competitive experience, the better,” Gotch added.
This season is set to comprise five rounds, with drivers vying for victory at Sydney Motorsport Park, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit, and Shell V-Power Motorsport Park.
The 2025 Motorsport Australia AU4 Championship kicks off with pre-season testing on March 6, followed by Round 1 on March 22-23, both taking place at Sydney Motorsport Park.
Australian Formula 4 Championship 2025
Official pre-season test day:
Sydney Motorsport Park
6 March 2025
Round 1: Sydney Motorsport Park
22-23 March 2025
Round 2: Shell V-Power Motorsport Park
4.95km International layout
23-25 May 2025
Round 3: Shell V-Power Motorsport Park
3.41km West layout
12-13 July 2025
Round 4: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
6-17 August 2025
Round 5: Sydney Motorsport Park
26-28 September 2025
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
Fanpage: SportArena.com.au.
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