The SMP F4 Championship (also known as the F4 NEZ Championship by SMP Racing) is a racing series regulated according to FIA Formula 4 regulations. It was based in the FIA's North European Zone and the Netherlands, and was only open to drivers from these countries. The inaugural season was the 2015 SMP F4 Championship.

After the 2019 season SMP Formula 4 Championship lost FIA certification. The series was relocated to Russia as a support series for the Russian Circuit Racing Series. The drivers competes for Cup of Russian Automobile Federation.

There was a plan to revive the championship in 2023 with three stages. It wasn't implemented.

The championship was revived in November 2024 as a single event at the Sirius Autodrom in Sochi. There were 13 participants, 10 of them competed in the race.

History

Gerhard Berger and the FIA Singleseater Commission launched the FIA Formula 4 in March 2013. The goal of the Formula 4 is to make the ladder to Formula One more transparent. Besides sporting and technical regulations, costs are regulated too. A car to compete in this category may not exceed €30,000 in purchase. A single season in Formula 4 may not exceed €100,000 in costs. The SMP F4 was one of the second phase Formula 4 championships to be launched. The first phase championships was the Italian F4 Championship and the Formula 4 Sudamericana which started in 2014. The SMP championship was launched by SMP Racing, the Russian Automobile Federation, Koiranen GP and AKK-Motorsport on 22 July 2014. Italian race car constructor Tatuus was contracted to design and build all the cars.[citation needed]

The championship expanded out of the FIA North European Zone for its second season. Following the failure to establish a separate Formula 4 championship in the Benelux region, it incorporated two rounds in the Netherlands, and awarded a Dutch Formula 4 Trophy for these two rounds plus a standalone Formula 4 Festival. MP Motorsport also operated cars alongside Koiranen GP, which ran all drivers in the inaugural season. The championship split, with Koiranen GP leaving from 2019. Koiranen GP creating Formula Academy Finland in 2018, continues as the promoter Formula Academy Finland. SMP F4 Championship continue operate SMP Racing, the Russian Automobile Federation.[citation needed]

Car

The championship featured Tatuus-designed and built cars. The cars were constructed out of carbon fibre and featured a monocoque chassis. The engine was a 1.4 turbo Abarth. This is the same engine as in the Italian F4 Championship.

Champions

SeasonDriverTeamPolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMargin
2015Finland Niko KariN/A47199449Race 18 of 21153
2016Netherlands Richard VerschoorN/A1011169339Race 17 of 2069
2017Denmark Christian LundgaardNetherlands MP Motorsport7101410292Race 18 of 2174
2018Finland Konsta LappalainenFinland Kart in Club Driving Academy47154316Race 21 of 2141
2019Russia Pavel BulantsevRussia SMP Racing95115254Race 13 of 1330
2024 (cup)Russia Yaroslav ShevyrtalovRussia Dronov Motorsport1111Race 1 of 1
2025Russia Yaroslav ShevyrtalovRussia LADA Sport5285323Race 17 of 1820
2025-26 (winter)Russia Vladimir VerkholantsevRussia Formula K Russia2294182Race 9 of 107

Circuits

  • Bold denotes a circuit will be used in the 2026 season.
NumberCircuitsRoundsYears
1Russia Moscow Raceway102015–2019, 2025–present
2Russia Sirius Autodrom7*2015–2017, 2024 (cup), 2025-2026 (winter)
3Finland Ahvenisto Race Circuit42015–2018
4Finland Alastaro Circuit32015, 2018–2019
Estonia Auto24ring32015, 2017
Russia Smolensk Ring32017–2019, 2026
Russia NRING Circuit32018–2019, 2025–present
8Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort22016
Netherlands Assen Circuit22017–2018
Russia Autodrom Moscow22018–2019
Russia Kazan Ring22019, 2025–present
Russia Fort Grozny Autodrom22019, 2025–present
13Sweden Anderstorp Raceway12016
Russia Igora Drive12025–present

Notes

External links