After the season opener in April at NOLA Motorsports Park had to be canceled due to delivery delays of the new Ligier JS F422 car, the F4 US Championship kicks off the 2024 season this weekend at Road America. In this preview article you will get an overview of all teams and their drivers, the race calendar, the weekend format, points system and more.
After more than 30 drivers regularly took part in previous years, the driver field has shrunk to just six teams and eight starters with the introduction of the new car, which is mandatory from this year in order to retain the FIA license. There are similar problems with the high costs of the new cars in Mexico's F4 NACAM and in Australia, where Formula 4 started with 11 cars just a few weeks ago. The International Motorsport team entered three drivers - Alex Bobadilla, JT Hoskins and Maite Cáceres - for the F4 US Championship at the end of last year, but will only be competing with Cáceres in the Ligier JS F4 Series for the time being due to the high costs involved.
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsports
Alex Crosbie, Nicolas Stati, Barrett Wolfe
Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport is the only team to start the new season with more than one driver. The reigning drivers' and teams' championship winners will field three cars. In recent years, Alex Crosbie has mainly raced in Formula Ford in New Zealand, where he won the championship in 2023 with seven wins and a total of eleven podium finishes from 16 races. At the beginning of the year, the 17-year-old New Zealander also took part in Formula Regional Oceania for the first time, where he finished third on the podium in the second race on the very first weekend. He finished the championship as the second-best rookie in fifth place. Nicolas Stati has been racing in various Formula 4 series since the end of last year. The Australian made his debut in 2023 in F4 SEA where he won his first race at the Sepang Circuit. After competing in the F4 UAE Championship over the winter, where two 18th places were his best results, he also took part in F4 Australia a few weeks ago. At The Bend Motorsport Park, he finished on the podium in two of three races. The team is completed by Barrett Wolfe. The American took part in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series in 2023, which he finished in ninth place in the championship. His best result was a fifth place at Laguna Seca. At the end of last year, he made his F4 US debut on the Circuit of the Americas.
Atlantic Racing Team
Daniel Quimby
The Canadian Atlantic Racing Team will be competing in the 2024 F4 US Championship with Daniel Quimby. The Australian from Sydney made his debut in the championship at the 2023 season finale on the Circuit of the Americas. He finished eighth and seventh in the first and second races respectively. In April, he also competed in the Ligier JS F4 Series at NOLA Motorsports Park, where he finished third on the podium in the third race.
MLT Motorsports
Lincoln Day
MLT Motorsports is entering Lincoln Day on the grid for the 2024 seqason. The American from Wyoming contested eleven races in the Skip Barber Formula Race Series last year. He finished the championship in 15th place and his best result was a sixth place in the second race at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca.
USNG Racing
Felipe da Silva Corsi
Felipe da Silva Corsi will compete with USNG Racing in 2024. The CEO and founder of the “Corsi” brand, which sells ready-to-wear apparel for men and women, is studying Business Administration and Management at the University of Santa Clara. This year, the Brazilian, Argentinian and American triple citizen is contesting his first season in car racing.
Scuderia Buell
Pablo Benites Jr
Scuderia Buell will start the season with just one car. The son of team founder and owner Pablo Benites will be competing for the team. The Argentinian already made his car racing debut at NOLA Motorsports Park in the Ligier JS F4 Series, where a sixth place in the first race was his best result. In 2023, he won the OKC Tag Senior Championship in karting.
Team Roberts Racing
Connor Roberts
Connor Roberts will compete with a private team in the F4 US Championship in 2024. The Australian has competed in various racing series in his home country since 2020. In 2022, he finished third on the D class podium at the Bathurst 6 Hours. At the end of last year, he made his debut in the United States in the USF Juniors Championship. At the season finale on the Circuit of the Americas, he finished tenth in the third race.
Originally, 18 races were planned over six weekends. After the season opener at NOLA Motorsports Park could not take place due to delays in the delivery of the new car, only 15 races remain on the calendar. Compared to last year, the event in Ontario, Canada replaces the weekend at Virginia International Raceway.
Round 1: NOLA Motorsports Park, Avondale (cancelled)
Round 2: Road America, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin, United States (17-19 May)
Round 3: Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Lexington, Ohio, United States (21-23 June)
Round 4: New Jersey Motorsports Park, Millville, New Jersey, United States (26-28 July)
Round 5: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada (30 August - 1 September)
Round 6: Circuit of the Americas, Austin, Texas, United States (1-3 November)
For the F4 US Championship there are three races per championship round. Each race weekend includes free practice sessions, as well as a half-hour qualifying session, which determines the starting grid for the first race. The fastest lap times of this first race then determine the starting grid for the second race. And the fastest lap times in the second race determine the starting grid for the third and final race. Each race lasts 30 minutes plus one lap.
For all three races points are awarded for the top 10, as we know it from F1. There are no extra points for pole positions or fastest race laps.
P1: 25, P2: 18, P3: 15, P4: 12, P5: 10, P6: 8, P7: 6, P8: 4, P9: 2, P10: 1
Some of the F4 US races will be broadcast on the SpeedTour TV YouTube channel again this year. This season, live streams of the races will be available on the weekends at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, the Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and the season finale at the Circuit of the Americas.
In each race the top three will win a payout. $750 for the winner, $300 for P2 and $150 for P3.
At the end of the season, the champion will win a scholarship for the 2025 FR Americas season, among other prizes, as well as a $25,000 cash prize. The runner-up will receive $500 each for Bell Helmets and OMP Racing. The third-place finisher will receive $250 each.
There are also FIA Super License points up for grabs for the top seven championship finisher. 12 for the champion, 10 for the runner-up, 7 for third place, 5 for fourth, 3 for fifth, 2 for sixth and 1 point for seventh.
Even though only eight drivers are starting the new season, I'd like to make an early prediction on the winners of the F4 US drivers' and teams' championships.
Drivers Championship Prediction
P1: Alex Crosbie
P2: Nicolas Stati
P3: Daniel Quimby
In the battle for the drivers championship, the Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport drivers are the biggest favorites for the title due to the team's experience alone. In my opinion, New Zealander Alex Crosbie will take the title if he contests the full season. Behind him, I see Nicolas Stati, Barrett Wolfe and Daniel Quimby battling it out for the podium places in the championship.
Teams Championship Prediction
P1: Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport
With only eight drivers and a small number of teams, the team championship title will undoubtedly go to the experienced team of Crosslink Kiwi Motorsport again in 2024.
written by Claudio Graf / 15th May 2024