Formula Regional

Formula Regional (FR) is an FIA-approved moniker for certified regional one-make Formula Three championships with the concept being approved during the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in December 2017. The first series under new regulations were launched in Asia and North America in 2018, followed by European counterpart in 2019 and Japanese in 2020. On 13 December 2022, the Toyota Racing Series was rebranded as the Formula Regional Oceania Championship.

This step of the FIA Global Pathway ladder serves to close the performance gap between Formula 4 (160 bhp) and global Formula 3 Championship (380 bhp), being powered by 270 bhp engines.

Name

Created under the name Regional Formula 3 by the FIA within the Article 275 / Appendix J of the international sporting code, the category had, at its beginning few championships having the F3 mention in their official title.

All of the category's championships certified by FIA got gradually rebranded by its commercial moniker "Formula Regional" in order to avoid confusion with previous Formula 3 regulations (pre-2018) and with the "International" Formula 3 (the FIA Formula 3 Championship and FIA Formula 3 World Cup). The category itself was formally renamed as Formula Regional in the 2024 technical regulations.

Performance

Formula Regional cars were intended to represent a midpoint in performance between Formula 4 and FIA Formula 3 cars.

According to drivers who have driven in both series, Formula Regional cars are of similar weight to FIA Formula 3, but have much less downforce as well as less power.

As a basis for comparison, at the 2024 Formula Regional race at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the fastest race lap was 2:16.505, while the fastest race lap in the FIA Formula 3 race meeting held at the same track in 2024 was 2:05.770. The 2024 French Formula 4 Championship had a round at the same track; the fastest race lap recorded at that meeting was 2:22.539.

Championships