THE 2023 ITALIAN FORMULA 4 SEASON GETS UNDERWAY ON PIRELLI TYRES
The Italian Formula 4 Championship - certified by FIA, gets underway next weekend at Imola, having been run on Pirelli tyres since its inaugural season in 2014. A total of 40 cars has already been confirmed (out of a maximum of 48) run by internationally-renowned teams as well as local outfits. Due to similar technical regulations, teams are allowed to run their cars in a variety of different national championships.
The calendar for the Italian F4 Championship, promoted by ACI Sport and WSK Promotion, includes five rounds in Italy – at Imola, Misano, Monza, Mugello and Vallelunga – as well as two overseas rounds at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Paul Ricard in France. Each weekend in Italy will feature two qualifying and four races of 25 minutes plus one lap (three races, on the rounds outside Italy).
For the second year running, the drivers will use a Tatuus T-421 chassis, the second generation of the previous single-seater, equipped with a halo and a 173 horsepower turbocharged Autotecnica Motori Abarth 1.4 engine. The chassis is the same one used by the newly formed F1 Academy, which is also equipped by Pirelli.
Every F4 car will have two sets of new P Zero slicks to be utilised without tyre blankets for qualifying sessions and races. The championship uses 13-inch Pirelli P Zero DM tyres in 200/540-13 size at the front and 250/575-13 size at the rear, as well as Cinturato wet-weather WS tyres if needed.
The tyres created for the Italian Formula 4 Championship place an emphasis on delivering consistent performance even at high mileage. Starting from the second weekend, a carry-over set of slick tyres from the previous event is permitted for free practice (in addition to a new set) demonstrating the high reliability and low wear of Pirelli’s Formula 4 tyres.
The spotlight is firmly on driving talent, with limited setup adjustment on the cars and minimal tyre management. The firm goal of the series is to train drivers for the next step up the career ladder, where they will have to deal with different variables.
Pirelli is present as a supplier all along the training path that takes single-seater open-wheel drivers, after the karting, to Formula 1. The entry level established by the FIA is Formula 4, followed by Formula Regional, Formula 3 and finally Formula 2. The rise of youngsters such as Lando Norris, Lance Stroll and Mick Schumacher form perfect examples of career trajectories that have started in Formula 4.
Pirelli is the sole supplier of the Italian, French and British F4 FIA-certified series, among other championships in the same category using the Italian firm's tyres. These include the F1 Academy championship, which will start on the last weekend of April at Spielberg. As a result, Pirelli underlines its commitment to taking young drivers all the way to Formula 1, where the Italian firm has been Global Tyre Partner since 2011.