Formula 4

2017
South East Asia
Drivers Guide v3
v4
2017
3
2017
 what is f4

The first step on the FIA pyramid to F1 via F4, F3,F2

• The FIA is the governing body of motorsport and F1 worldwide

• To simplify the motorsport career path, the FIA created a pyramid to F1
• The FIA created Formula 4 as the first step on the pyramid F2
•
•
Formula 4 is the first platform to offer super license points
The FIA licensed AAA as the promoter of F4 in South East Asia (F4SEA) F3
F4
F4 is an extremely exciting and cost-effective step after karting. The
new F1-inspired paddle shift technology and data sensors inside
the car help you learn a lot about your driving, and make the car
a real thrill to drive. I would highly recommend F4 to other drivers.
Jordan Love
F4SEA Event Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 5
2017
 Formula 4 SEA
30 races over 5 events for €100,000 &
a prize fund of RM1million (based on 18 car grid)

F4SEA is a 30-race 5-event championship visiting Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and To motivate reward and inspire
the Philippines. To minimize time off from school there are 6 races per event, where the our young drivers we are happy
driver receives 6 hours elite training and gains 6,300km’s experience. Each event is to confirm the 2017 prize fund of
televised and broadcast to up to 100m households. RM1million (based on 18 car grid)
to be paid in cash and testing
The ‘one-concept’ enables F4SEA to be a cost-effective transition: value is shared as follows:

• One-team: MERITUS.GP provides all race engineering services RM600,000 - overall champion
• One-make: FIA F4 homologated race car provides a level playing RM36,000 - event champion
• One-cost: €100,000 (+ crash damage, testing - €3,850 per day, wet tyres) RM6,000 - pole for race 1
• One-data: Open data allows each driver to check every drivers’ data RM6,000 - event lap record
Peter Thompson
Chairman - AAA (F4SEA promoter)

*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 7

2017
 Super License
F4SEA is the first level to award super license points
which are required to race in F1

FIA ‘Super License’ points certificate will be awarded to the top 7 placed Drivers in the
final classification of the Championship as follows:
1st 12 points 5th 03 points
2nd 10 points 6th 02 points
3rd 07 points 7th 01 points
4th 05 points

I hadn’t actually heard of super license points to be honest. But

now I understand that its the license that you need to race in F1.
F4 is the best way to start racing because straight away you get
points towards your F1 license, it makes a lot of sense.
Keanon Santoso
F4SEA Indonesian Rookie
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 9
2017
 Drivers branding
Drivers’ branding areas are defined in the Regulations
& subject to change

Racecar branding: Racesuit branding:

• Bonnet
• Top of side pod
• Side of cockpit
• Towards the rear of the nose
• Across the stomach and 1 patch either side
Helmet branding:
• All except visor strip and title sponsor areas
(defined in regulations)

To keep the driver fees low the promoter retains the key advertising
areas of the cars and race suits. The drivers allocated areas are
marked up. However individual drivers’ have different requirements
and we always listen and assist with alternative locations where
possible.

*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 11

2017
 GLOBAL TV Distribution
9 x 30 min TV highlights broadcast to
up to 100m households

• Fox • Eurosport (tbc) • TV3 Ireland (tbc)

• Fox Sport 3 • OSN • F4SEA Social Media
• ESPN (tbc) • Bahrain TV • F4SEA Facebook Live
• True Vision (tbc) • BEIN (tbc) • F4SEA Youtube
• TV3 (tbc) • Asian SportsIllustrated • F4SEA Twitter
• TV1 (RTM) • 7 Sports (tbc) • Motorsport.TV

F4SEA TV is really cool, we get a recap of each event, 30

minutes or so on Fox and RTM I think. It’s kind of nerve-racking but
its good for exposure. At each event we are all interviewed for TV,
to give same value back to our sponsors.
Isyraf Danish
F4SEA Event Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 13
2017

MalaYsia
29-01 October

Philippines Indonesia
20-22 October 23-26 November

Thailand Malaysia
12-14 January 08-10 February
 2017 Calendar
30-Race, 5-Event Championship with
6 Formula 1 Support Races

Event Races Date Month Circuit Location Supporting

1 01-06 29-01 Oct Sepang Malaysia Formula 1
2 07-12 20-22 Oct Clark Phillippines GT
3 13-18 23-26 Nov Sentul Indonesia GT
4 19-24 12-14 Jan Buriram Thailand Asian LeMans
5 25-30 09-11 Feb Sepang Malaysia Asian LeMans

Peter and the guys at Formula 4 had a great idea with the
calendar. Its always difficult getting to events with school and
exams, so they’ve arranged the calendar so you get 6 races per
event. More racing, fewer events and less travel costs!
Faine Kahia
F4SEA Vice Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 15
2017
 meritus awards

RM 1 Million prize fund

To motivate reward and inspire our young drivers we are happy to confirm The championship point scoring system is based on
the prize fund of RM1million is shared as follows: the best 24 results from the 30 starts

• RM600,000 - overall champion 1st 25 points 7th 6 points

2nd 18 points 8th 4 points
• RM36,000 - event champion 3rd 15 points 9th 2 points
• RM6,000 - qualifying fastest lap 4th 12 points 10th 1 points
5th 10 points Pole 3 points
• RM6,000 - event fastest lap 6th 8 points Fastest lap 1 point

I am really proud to be the first F4SEA champion. The racing was

world class and now with the announcement of the prize fund for
2017 its going to promote motorsport in Asia.

Presley Martono
F4SEA Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 17
2017
 championship fee

30 races for €100,000

Fee includes: Fee does not include:

• 30 races • €2,500 Crash damage deposit
• 5 events, 4 countries • €1,000 Wet tyres or additional test slicks
• 6 Formula 1 support races • €3,850 Collective test and race week test (per day)
• Racecar, race service, consumables, logistics • €6,000 Official Championship Registration & Entry Fee
• Engineers, driver coaches, mechanics • €5,000 x 1 Formula 1 Event Entry Fee
• 3 sets of tyres per event • On-track racecar and sportsman insurance

I mean, its a lot of money but... for 30 races! Thats un-heard of!
And to race on tracks like Sepang with Engineers like Sean, he’s
like at GP2 level man. So yeah I’d say its good value.

Gabriel Cabrera
F4SEA Race winner
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 19
2017
 Testing fee
€3,850 per day
3 hours on the track including 1 set tyres

Fee includes: Fee does not include:

• 3 hours on track (Sessions depends on circuit schedule)
• 3 hours debrief and data coaching
• 1 sets of new tyres
• Racecar, race service, consumables, logistics
• Engineers, driver coaches, mechanics
• €2,500 Crash damage deposit
• Wet tyres at €1000 if required
• On-track racecar and sportsman insurance
• Flights, hotels, food and beverage

Testing on the 12-metre wide Sepang F1 circuit with its 15

challenging corners provides all the experience I need to build
up my confidence. Its an amazing circuit and a great favourite of
many F1 drivers.
Adam Khalid
Malaysian AsiaCup Series Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 21
2017
 OPen data

The only championship in the world where all drivers have

open access to all drivers race and engine data

Open data policy ensures:

• All drivers have access to all race and engine data
• Equal playing field for all drivers
• Learn from the best data, race engineers and coaches
• Winning is based on racecraft and not performance aids

This open data rule is really quite important. Basically it means that
we all share our on-track information and learn from each other.
So I found some time by looking at the pole lap. Its actually really
useful, I think more championships should be like this.
David Tatinclaux
F4SEA Rookie
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 23
2017
 meritus.gp
36 Championship titles
36 winning years

F4SEA is a one team championship and MERITUS.GP provides:

• Exclusive race engineering services
• European race engineers
• Winning driver coaches
• Professional technicians and mechanics

I love the team. They work so hard, its crazy. Sometimes I think my
mechanic never sleeps!

Akash Gowda
F4/SEA Event Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 25
2017
 F4SEA Racecar
FIA F4 homologated racecar
tested to F3 crash safety standards

Monocoque: Carbon monocoque with anti-intrusion side panels

Crashboxes: Front and rear carbon crashboxes The car is fantastic! You can get up
Bodywork: Fiber glass to 210km/h and its paddle shift
Brake: Twin piston calipers so its just like F1, not the sequential
Engine FIA homologated 4 cylinder engine 2000cc NA like the old BMW’s. I’ve gotten
up around 208 km/h around
Tyres: 190/530-13 Front, 240/550-13 Rear
Sepang. You can probably go
Gearbox: 6 speed sequential + reverse
a little faster, but its all about the
Paddle Shift: Pneumatic with GCU Life Racing (incorporated in the ECU) corners. Its mind-boggling to take
Data Logging: Life Racing (incorporated in the ECU) turns 6 & 7 flat out at Sepang!
Sensors: Brake/Steering/Speed/Wheel/GPS/Camera/Accelerometer Khalid Al Wahaibi
F4/SEA Pole Sitter

*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 27

2017
 Driver Testimonials
Rio Haryanto
F1 Driver

Winning with MERITUS.GP in Asia helped start Indonesian Rio Haryanto on the path to
Formula 1. His Asian race experience provided him with the racecraft and knowledge
required before his first GP3 race wins in Europe. Rio has already raced in F1 with
Manor and MERITUS.GP are proud to be part of this success story.

It was fantastic to win my first FIA championship with MERITUS.GP

in 2009. After my success with the team in Formula BMW I went
on to win in GP2 and GP3 in Europe. Formula 4 replaces Formula
BMW and for sure it is the best step after karting.
Rio Haryanto
MERITUS.GP 2009 Formula BMW Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 29
2017
 Driver Testimonials
Jazeman Jaafar
F1 Test Driver

Malaysian Jazeman Jaafar won his first FIA championship with MERITUS.GP in
2007 and graduated to Europe where he was massively successful in the British F3
championship, missing the title by only one point in 2012. The highlight of his successful
WSR programme was a win at the Monaco F1 GP 2015 support race. Representing his
national sponsor Petronas, Jazeman has tested with the AMG Mercedes F1 team.

AsiaCup was a great success and created many new drivers. I

definitely recommend the Formula 4 SEA by MERITUS.GP for any
young driver seeking a professional career in the sport!

Jazeman Jaafar
MERITUS.GP 2007 Formula BMW Asia Pacific Champion
*Calendar is provisional and subject to update 31
 Formula 4
2017 South East Asia
Drivers Guide v3
v4

MalaYsia
29-01 October

Philippines Indonesia
20-22 October 23-26 November

Thailand Malaysia
12-14 January 08-10 February