TrackRecord - Sept 2014

WORLDWIDE fORmuLa 4 The shape of Things To

come for karTing sTars GO tO PaGE 24

AsiAn Motorsport is the

asIaCuP sERIEs tHE COst EffECtIvE fIRst stEP tO fORmuLa 1

THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE ASIACup RACE SERIES

2 TRACKRECORD S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4

WELCOME H I S TO R Y I N T H E M A K I N G

Welcome to AsiA hAs fAst become A serious option for young racing drivers dreaming of reaching formula 1. billions of dollars were invested building the infrastructures to host Asias fiA formula 1 Grands prix, first in sepang malaysia and now india, china, Korea, bahrain, Abu Dhabi and the pearl of the orient, singapore, all feature on the world championship calendar.

teams such as meritus.Gp were amongst the pioneers of the industry in Asia, and programmes such as the Asiacup series remove some of the financial burden on young drivers and their families as they embark on their racing careers. As you will read in the following pages, the benefits of this young driver development series cannot be measured. The proof of its success is evident from a quick look at the past stars of the meritus.Gp teams campaigns. some, like Jazeman Jaafar, are already hovering on the verge of formula 1 with tests with mercedes and a podium visit in renault 3.5 at monaco. others are not far behind the young malaysian or his predecessors, such as rio haryanto, Alex Yoong, narain Karthikeyan, takuma sato and Luca filippi as they progress towards professional careers in the sport.

The fiAs new formula 4 category is the start of an anticipated obvious f4, f3, f2 route to f1. meritus.Gp are planning to bring f4 to Asia at the end of 2015. You can learn all about this new structured pyramid to f1 from former Grand prix winner Gerhard berger in the pages of TrackRecord.

malaysias 4th prime minister mahathir had the vision to create the regions first f1 super circuit in 1999, to attract worldwide brand awareness to malaysia. many countries have followed his proven formula with similar tracks in Asia and the middle east attracting the high technology motorsport industry players. meritus.Gp, whom the media have affectionately dubbed the Godfathers of Asian motorsport have not only created national motorsport heroes but have also trained malaysian engineers and technicians over the past 20 years. This growth of motorsport makes Asia a serious and cost-effective option for up-and-coming racers.

is formula 1 your Dream? There is no better place to start than with the Asiacup series run by meritus.Gp.

About the editorOriginally from London, Andy Hallbery is a former Editor of

Autosport magazine in the UK and RACER magazine in the

United States. He has produced the Official FIA Formula

1 World Championship programs, the Official FIA World

Touring Car Championship Yearbook

and Grand Prix Review. Andy

has also been Editor-in-Chief of

publications for Mercedes-Benz

Motorsport, Toyota Motorsport,

West McLaren Mercedes, and

Le Mans Series. He has most

recently created, edited and

published Romance of

Racing, a book with three-

time Indianapolis 500

winner, and four-time

IndyCar champion

Dario Franchitti.

editor Andy Hallbery

Creative direction Steve Moore

Chief Contributor Agnes Carlier

Photography Meritus.GP Peter Lim, WRi Jad Sheriff, Jean-Francois Galeron;

Arnaud Taquet, Philippe Ehrmann, LAT

Photographic, Racing Inside

Special thanks to Sepang International Circuit for their help and support

MerituS.GP Founder & President Peter Thompson

Managing director Firhat Mokhzani

Chairman Meritus-Mahara Raad Abdul Jawad

TrackRecord is the official magazine of the AsiaCup Series and Meritus.GP

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 TRACKRECORD 3

CoNteNtS

4 experience the AsiaCup Series We get the entire Meritus.GP crew inside the Technical Centre

6 one mission Everything you need to know about the AsiaCup Series

16 the learning curve Driver coaching is all part of the learning process with Meritus.GP

19 A lap of Sepang How to conquer this challenging Formula 1 track

20 For the love of Malaysia A look at the history of Sepang the home of Malaysian Motorsport

24 building the bridge Why the new F4 series is the ideal starting point for young racers

29 What is Formula 4? We get the sports governing body, the FIA, to explain

30 Gerhard berger: building the pyramid Ferraris Formula 1 winner has a new goal for the stars of tomorrow

36 A glimpse of the future Meritus.GP gives its stars a taste of F1 from inside the paddock.

42 the 2014 AsiaCup Series A full run-down of the runners and riders on the track?

48 race report event 1 All the action from the first four races of this season at Sepang

50 Young masters The Meritus.GP team take its youngsters to the next level

54 Luca Filippi Meet the IndyCar star who won for Meritus.GP in GP2 Asia.

58 Growing with merit A look back at 25+ years of success for Meritus.GP Malaysias most successful motorsport team

64 Middle eastern promise We look to the Middle East for the next stars of motorsport


MERITUS.GP M A K I N G I N T E R N AT I O N A L H E R O E S

Experience the AsiaCup www.meritus.gp

6 TRACKRECORD S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4

one

ONE MISS ION WH AT I S A S I A C U P ?

S e p t e m b e r 2 0 1 4 TRACKRECORD 7

missiononeThe agenda of the AsiaCup Series is simple: to create international motorsport

heroes. To do this, a three-pronged strategy is used: One Make, One Track,

One Team. Added together, that equals One Low Cost



Go to any kart track, anywhere in the world, and you will find racers of all ages having fun with four wheels, an engine and a steering wheel. ask them who their hero is, and the answer will invariably be, Schumacher, Vettel, Hamilton or even Senna. Their goal? Like their heroes, its to get to Formula 1. Fulfilling that dream is no easy task. For every Senna or Schumacher, there are hundreds of frustrated racing drivers, who had the talent but never had the funding and support, were unlucky, or in the wrong category at the wrong time to reach their goal.

Jenson Buttons route to the top was fairly routine, his options notably fewer than the karting champions have today. yet his general advice to those aspiring champions is still as it always was: clear, simple and straightforward.

karting champions today face an array of choices when the time comes to progress to cars. 2010 World champion Button sums it up: We all know how tough it is, says the McLaren F1 star. you need that little bit of luck on the way through. But ask yourself, What is my dream for the future? What am I hoping for? What do I need to do to get there? We all like to

look forward, and see the stepping-stones needed.asian motorsport may not have the history of its

European cousins, for progressing junior drivers careers but there is no doubt that its growing, and getting more professional by the year, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Malaysian-based Meritus.GP

For me, this is definitely the future of junior motorsport, says Peter Thompson - founder, chairman and cEo of Meritus.GP. The one concept that we have one make, one track, one team really is the only way to bring the costs down, and the opportunities up.

While karting remains the grassroots of the sport and is essential for early driver development, he continues, over the past 15 years, the high entry cost for formula racing has been the biggest obstacle for families to help their talented racers develop and maximise their potential. other organisers expand their calendar boundaries in order to excite sponsors and enhance the image of their international championships but they forget that such globalization comes at a high cost.

one make...The 140bhp Formula BMW car currently used in the asiacup Series has already been the stepping stone to F1 for stars such as Sebastian Vettel, nico rosberg, Daniel ricciardo, nico Hulkenberg, Bruno Senna and timo Glock, or to Indycar for Graham rahal, and Simona di Silvestro the Swiss racer who now has a testing and simulator role with Sauber in F1. So the cars track record shows its pedigree. But what is it like to drive? Luca Filippi, GP2 asia winner for Meritus.GP, took the chance to sample the car for himself. Unlike the young hopefuls for whom it will be the first race car they sample, Luca already had experience of GP2, Indycar and F1 machinery when he climbed aboard for his first taste of the FB02 chassis. Unfortunately its a car that I never raced with, said Luca after a test run at the Bahrain F1 circuit. Its feels like its a great car to learn with. technically. It has a very nice balance, the power, the grip, and the drivability is similar to a bigger car. I think its the perfect car to teach young drivers how to drive. It has a nice little gearbox that works very

Go to any kart track, anywhere in the world, and you will find

racers of all ages having fun with four wheels, an engine and

a steering wheel. Ask them who their hero is, and the answer

will invariably be, Schumacher, Vettel or even Senna.

And their goal? Like their heroes, its to get to Formula 1

We make it clear to the drivers what is

acceptable racing and what isnt


LEFT The AsiaCup Series Technical Plaza is home for the racers; BELOW Jenson Button advises youngsters with a dream of F1. MAIN AsiaCup Series, wheel-to-wheel



We went all out to try to set up and get it right, and Im glad that we did.

Absolutely everybody is happy with the parity of the equipment


well. Its a car you enjoy and where you can learn how to drive and race properly. The FIas new Formula 4 class continues that theme, making it the perfect choice for kart racers worldwide.

one track...Sepang is the sole location for the asiacup Series, The Grand Prix track was built to the highest standards, and opened in 1999, holding its first Grand Prix that october. The challenging 3.45-

mile (5.54km) track is a good test of the drivers; its famous two long straights, allied to its expansive 20m width, promote passing. It also features gradient and camber, to add to the difficulty. Sepang was designed and built with safety foremost, and as such has the state of the art facilities required to make it a Formula 1-sanctioned race circuit. Based close to kuala Lumpur International airport, its also handy for visiting drivers. The circuit will also soon be the home of the Meritus.GP offices.

The 12-race asia cup - and the Super 6 races in

December - all take place at Sepang. The reasons are simple. First; the demanding track provides everything a young driver needs to learn, and second; cost. Firhat Mokhzani, Meritus.GP Managing Director explains: Moving the series around makes money for no-one, except the logistics company. That was the first thing to cut out.

a giant Mertitus.GP technical Plaza is home to the 25 cars, offices/data areas, driver changing area, spare parts store, tire changing area and the catering section, for the hard working crews of mechanics.

One Make: The FB02 Race Car

EnginE

A 140bhp, in-line, four-cylinder BMW K1200RS engine, rebuilt by SMC, Munich, Germany. The engine powers the FB02 racer from 0 to 100kph in less than four seconds and it can reach a top speed of 230kph

gEArbOx

6 speed Hewland FTR sequential gearbox with limited slip differential

MOnOCOquE

The F1 safe structure has crash-boxes front and rear, a steel roll hoop and a kevlar/carbon fibre composite seat shell, incorporated into an FIA regulated kevlar/carbon fibre composite aluminium honeycomb tub, which has a six-point safety belt and extraction support system in the spinal area

ChASSiS

Double wishbone suspension with aerodynamic push rods and retention cables

AErOdynAMiCS

Single profile below, adjustable double profile above rear wing

dATA rECOrding

Data recording display built into the steering wheel, showing gears and LED shift lights

The AsiaCup race car is cost-efficient to maintain for the hard-working Meritus.GP crew



Prepare to qualifyIn a champIonshIp as competitive as the asiacup series, every driver understands the importance of getting the best starting position possible. With four races over two days, promoter meritus.Gp has instigated a unique way of setting the grids, that doesnt penalize a driver if they strike trouble in Race #1.a 30-minute qualifying session is held, and the order of the fastest to slowest in that

session determines the grid for Race #1.The grid for Race #2 is set by the drivers fastest lap set in Race #1, so even if they have

suffered say a spin, they still have a chance to start where their speed will place them.For Race #3, the grid is set by each drivers second quickest time from qualifying.The grid for Race #4 is set by the drivers fastest lap set in #Race 3.

one team...Meritus.GP is asias most successful motorsport team, and prides itself on driver training and progression. I love the helping and giving part, says Thompson. It hasnt made me tremendously wealthy, and maybe people dont appreciate what we have done. But what we do at an event, or between races, has a whole educational side. our development programmes reach the majority of the teams 78 staff as well, with the government-backed Giatmara (meaning apprenticeship), which is an education institution, that provides skills training to the community. on the way to the teams 36 motorsport titles (including races in GP2 asia, Formula V6 asia and Formula BMW), the teams engineers, fabricators and mechanics - sourced locally - have helped many of todays top drivers achieve their goals.

Dont tell us we cant make a wishbone here in Malaysia, dont tell us we cant assemble a car,

because we do it every day of the week, asserts Thompson. Were looking for something a little different. you pay full price for spare parts from France, Germany or wherever it is, even if you buy in bulk. So thats why we look to training the guys here. and that, in turn keeps the costs down.

The training ethic extends to each driver; thats the Meritus.GP policy. Each competitor is debriefed after every session, with the specialized coaches. They run through telemetry, data, Go-Pro video from on board, and general driving techniques and advice.

Theres no one else doing what were doing, adds Thompson. remember, the drivers havent grown up in a community where they are karting at a circuit when Jenson Button or other professionals drop by, happy to answer questions, or say, hey guys! maybe you should be trying this or that. So we have tutors. If we didnt have that, these guys just wouldnt get the knowledge and advice Its not there in the community in Malaysia, theres no club for them, theres no this, no that. you dont go to a cafe and talk

about set up and the problems you are having with your race car.

We were the first to use data 15 years ago, and then we introduced onboard cameras 10 years ago, the Irishman continues. Weve got staff here for the drivers to learn from. one coach just for training camera footage, one coach for the data, then weve got three data engineers, three driver coaches, and then Firhat (Mokhzani Meritus Managing Director) dealing with everybody. Thats a really important part.

as part of the package, drivers can choose who they feel they work with best. a relationship with an engineer, after all, has to come naturally if it is to provide fruit. Many will find they are most comfortable with one. on occasion though, a driver will stand out, because he or she appreciated the wide range of skilled teachers and resources made available by Meritus.GP. Indias one in a Million, arjun Maini springs to mind, recounts Thompson. I asked him one day which coach he was most

The international team of skilled driver coaches can deal with a multitude of languages


Safety first

One Of THe benefits of the AsiaCup Series races all taking place at the Sepang International Circuit. is the continuity of the safety and medical teams. But just because they are present at every race, the medical team does not sit back and relax. They rehearse extrication at every event, and familiarise the crew with the car, to be prepared should an incident take place on track, as Dr Sunil Shanmuganathan explains.for all car races there is an extrication team made up of

six people including a doctor, he says. In an incident the first task would be for the team to check to see if there is any fire, or if the current is still on. That needs to be settled first. If the driver is unconscious, the most important thing for us is to stabilize them, and remove them as fast as possible. If the driver is conscious but injured and cannot get out of the car, the doctor will talk to him or her, and explain that they are about to extricate them, and ask them to remain calm and as still as possible. Then, he continues, well slowly extricate them, by

removing the steering wheel, the side protectors, stabilize the neck, the helmet, and the HAnS device, and put on the cervical collar.One of the safety aspects of the fB02 chassis is that the

cars are designed so that the seat can be removed with the driver still in position, potentially preventing further injury. Then they are placed on the vacuum mattress, and transported by ambulance to the circuits fully equipped medical centre. The doctor co-ordinates the entire recovery. everyone

knows their specific role, and they are all paramedics. We practice for a reason. When you go to an accident site, its much smoother and easier and therefore calmer. You want to create as seamless a process as possible, for the driver too.

One would think that drivers would shy away from seeing the practice runs, where the role of the patient is often taken by one of the Meritus.GP mechanics. Youd be wrong! no, not at all, smiles Shanmuganathan. The opposite in fact! Sometimes the drivers come and will be the model, so they can learn the feel of it, and exactly how it works, should they unfortunately need us for real.

Sepang International, Malaysias premier motorsport facility, hosts the AsiaCup Series

The safety crew practice driver removal at every event



The contact pointWITHOUT TYreS, rACe race cars go nowhere and for the AsiaCup Series, the official supplier is Hankook Tyre. The Korean company has a rich history in racing, also supplying tyres to the prestige DTM series. One visitor to the Sepang International Circuit for the June races in 2014 was Jae Kim, Hankooks Motorsport Manager, Asia. This is the first time we have supported a series in Malaysia and with our supply of the bankbook tyre, we have been supporting it since last year. We developed this tyre for formula 3 in the european series, so its durable and built for long life.Mr Kim was also impressed by what he saw in the

Meritus.GP Technical Centre, based behind the pit area at Sepang; especially the atmosphere and camaraderie. At many of the motorsport races I go to, I dont see drivers talking with other teams and mechanics but the thing that I saw in a positive way in the AsiaCup, is that theyre not fighting with each other. They just have one goal to race but then they can sit and have lunch together.


comfortable with. His answer showed that he is definitely a thinking driver. He said it depended what he wanted help with. If it was something with the car, he went to Denny (Quinn, Meritus.GP chief race Engeer), if it was detail such as lines in the corners, he would go to Firhat, and for data hed go to romira (Garcia, Meritus.GP Performance). But he also talked with other drivers to see what they were experiencing. Thats a kid using everything we make available, to better his performance.

Personally I dont think the drivers appreciate what they have here, Thompson concludes, and they will expect it and miss it when they go to Europe or wherever next...

keeping costs in checkIn addition to the three principal areas of the concept, an overriding mission for the whole series and creating motorsport heroes is cost. Everything is done to keep the budgets for the aspiring superstars and their families as low as possible, without cutting the corners that would compromise

the asiacup Series. Their potential budgets and sponsorships are hard to come by, so every penny must count. Some areas, though, are placed at a premium for drivers, who are learning their trade. The drivers and their families choose asiacup because its cost-effective.

to race here its only $55,000, which is less than a karting budget, if the drivers are getting serious. and about a third or a quarter of what it would cost to go and race in Europe. Thats very important for the families of hopefuls, and something that is very, very important to the asiacup.

We have to be careful with the costs, Thompson continues. For everything we have to go direct to source our clutches or our flat floors, or everything else. Weve tried to localize the part supply as much as possible to keep the prices down.

In an ideal world, spare parts, of course, would be a minimal cost. The chassis, engines and gearboxes are built for long life, with great care taken in the preparation before and at the track by the Meritus.GP crews. one factor the team cant control 100 percent is obviously damage to the cars, wings etc.

Mokhzani explains: We make it very clear to the drivers before, in the briefing, what is acceptable racing and what isnt and we make it very clear how much an accident will cost them. We build it into the drivers; what is sporting and what is not sporting.

The other argument for the one-team approach is that it levels the field, meaning the best drivers will shine, and that all the other drivers can see the telemetry trace of each sessions fastest lap to compare to their own. In the past there has been some slight negativity in justifying the one make/one team series, Mokhzani adds. We did a lot of research, talked to a lot of people, past drivers, mechanics, to find out what it was that made people unhappy about things. We went all out to try to set up and get it right, and Im glad that we did. absolutely everybody is happy with the parity of the equipment.

The 11-time Grand Prix winner, and Formula 1s most experienced racer, rubens Barrichello says of his junior racing days, that was the best school that I ever went to That is something that the asiacup Series aims at being. Just watch out for its graduates.

EvEnT 1 WhEn 18-22 Jun (Race 1-4) WhErE Sepang F1 Circuit Supporting Malaysian SuperSeries

EvEnT 2WhEn 10-14 Sept (Race 5-8 WhErE Sepang F1 Circuit Supporting Malaysia 12 hour

EvEnT 3WhEn 28 Oct-2 Nov (Race 9-12) WhErE Sepang F1 Circuit Supporting Malaysian SuperSeries

SuPEr 6 WhEn 9-14 Dec (Race 1-6) WhErE Sepang F1 Circuit Supporting the Asian Le Mans Series

2014 Calendar For information regarding competing in the remaining events, contact Peter Thompson, [email protected]

ONE MISS ION C OAC H & H O R S E P OW E R

16 TRACKRECORD S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4practice analysis


Tennis, golf, soccer, cricket, baseball You name it, the winning players have a coach, someone they trust and listen to. In motorsport, it is rare. Not for the AsiaCup Series racers, though where it

is now a fundamental part the championship.A racing driver is like every person on the

planet. They will always benefit from having a good teacher, one based in an ideal environment to learn. That is what Meritus.GP provides in its AsiaCup Series with its team of specialist driver coaches to guide and educate the drivers, and help them improve.

The benefits to the driver are obvious, not least because they are studying where, and more importantly how, they can go quicker. For the coaches too, the process can be fulfilling.

Firhat Mokhzani, Managing Director of Meritus.GP, is one of the founders of the teams driver development programme and race engineering data schemes. His role means he has coached and overseen many drivers since the idea was implemented. Theres a personal buzz, he agrees. You see these kids, they are so young and full of potential, so its really rewarding to see some of them fulfill that potential. Thats the great thing about this you know almost immediately when youve done a good job. Its either the stopwatch or the look on the drivers face. Or both!

Almost all of the drivers in AsiaCup are in the early stages of their career. For some, Sepang in June was their first ever race in a car For all drivers, though, the event starts the same. A booklet with the programme of their weekend schedule highlights the key moments and what their job and responsibilities are. Basically, it tells them where they must be, and when. The coaches have found it works better in writing. Punctuality

is something that becomes more important the higher they get in racing.

The competitors also get a track guide, which includes a circuit map, to make their own notes about gear selection and corner numbers, that they can refer to with their engineer.

One of the directives, or mission statements given early in the whole process is simple, and straightforward, as Denny Quinn, Meritus.GP Team Engineer, explains: Coaching is teaching a driver not to be fast, but more importantly, to understand how to be fast. This means building a mutual relationship with the driver. It is important to listen and establish the trust. This understanding factor is important, its the only way to progress.

For those with experience, progress is finding and focusing on those key areas to improve. A tenth of a second saved here or there can add up over a lap. Then its about refining and reproducing that performance every lap.

For the first timers, theres a lot to digest. Armaan Ebrahim is one of the driver coaches, a former race winner in Formula BMW Asia and F V6 Asia. He has also raced in F3 and F2 in Europe, and Indy Lights in America. He explains the procedure for a new driver. The main focus is for them to keep it on the circuit and learn, getting the basic feel for the brakes and steering. After that first session well look at the video, download all the data, look at the telemetry and well look at the video in more detail, see that the lines and shifting points are right, their braking technique, things like that.

Well compare their data with the fastest one (so conditions are the same), but also their laps themselves and see how consistent they are, what they are doing differently each and every lap. The main focus is to get consistent so that they know

what they are doing naturally rather than outright speed. Because, once they figure out what they are doing, and exactly where to put the car, then the speed will come.

Making progressRoss Jamison, Formula BMW Pacific Champion in 2008, is another driver coach with personal experience of the AsiaCup Series cars, winning his title with Meritus.GP. The car logs about 50 channels, so thats a lot of information for you to put up on the screen for the drivers. Some of them genuinely understand it, and get into the information quickly. But there have been occasions where you have drivers that just dont get what youre showing them, so you have to spell it out.

Some take to the new information straight away. Its much easier to make progress if they do understand what they are shown, Hong Kong-based Jamison says. They understand what all the little lines on the screen mean. Thats when they start to develop their own thinking without you having to tell them what to look for.

One such newcomer is Worawong Komarakul, better known as Plu. The Thai driver had seven years experience in karts, but the Sepang races in June were his first in a car. After those four races, he had a remarkable four podium finishes, and eight new trophies for his collection for the four third places, and four rookie winner finishes.

I learned so many more things about racing, Plu says of his accomplished AsiaCup Series debut. One of those was data such an important thing for racing formula cars. In all of my sessions it felt like there were a million things to remember and fix.

I missed some days of school to come racing, he admits, but at the same time it felt like I came

Thelearning curve

coaching focus success

You never stop learning. In the AsiaCup Series, drivers have all the help they need

ONE MISS ION C OAC H & H O R S E P OW E R


to an academics camp! The math and science that I was taught in school that I once thought was completely useless I saw it in action here, helping me with my driving and the car.

The Asia Cup series taught me with a hands-on experience why racing is as such an all-round sport, he concludes. It requires skill, fitness, commitment, and more to play along with the athletes ability to learn and apply knowledge not just to themselves, but also to the machine.

Practice makes perfectWhile Plu picked it up immediately, others grew in speed as the event continued. Indian Ebrahim again: Every corner has got to matter, he says. If you are good everywhere, it will make a big difference. For example a driver will come up and say, Im three seconds off. So you look at the data, and you see its not all in one section Its one or two tenths in every corner, and with a slower speed between the corners, it all adds up over the lap. And that is when the data sheets count the most.

The final lesson is very simple: no-one is perfect. Drivers will make mistakes. The thing to learn is to not make the same mistake twice. They will all jump the start, stall the engine, miss their braking, speed in the pits, not observe flags and make other misdemeanors. Its all part of the learning process.

TRACE #1The screenshot above is of a typical analysis window that we use in AsiaCup. The different lines from top to bottom respectively show: The vertical dotted line towards the left side of the page shows the

cursor position and the car position on track during the lap. In the map window in the middle of the page, the position of the cursor correlates to where the blue and red dot intersects on the map window.The panel titled Measuring values shows what the values of all the

sensors are at the cursor position (the vertical dotted line) of the analysis window. The values marked in bold in the table correspond to the values that are illustrated graphically. In this case, its just the five values that I described previously though you can see there are many more that could be graphed out if so desired.All along the bottom in the red band is information that shows the

event (ACS1.14 = AsiaCup Series, event one), the date of the data (0621 = June 21), the initials of the driver (JP = Jake Parsons), the run number (02), the specific lap number (7L = lap 7) and the recorded lap time (2:17.83 min = 2m17.83s) of the outing that is displayed on screen.

TRACE #2This is an illustration of the same data as in #1 (which is a race lap from AsiaCup 2014, race 2) but overlaid with the qualifying lap of the same driver for the first event.In this graph, you can see

an additional line in the center of the screen that slowly separates from the center line of the screen as the lap progresses. This is called the time difference line. This makes it easy to spot quickly where the driver is losing out in terms of time from one lap to another.Differences in throttle application, brake application and steering

angles between the faster blue graph against the red graph all contribute to this time loss.It is possible to zoom into specific parts of the lap in order to get a

detailed look as I have done in the graph (Trace #3).

ChARTEd TERRIToRIESFirhat Mohkzani, Managing director, and one of the brains behind the drivers development programmes and race engineering data, explains a typical data sheet that will be studied and absorbed after a session. The driver can recognize where improvements are needed to post faster lap times.

KEY To TRACEn Steering inputn RPMn Speed

n Brake Pressuren Throttle Position

TRACE #1 TRACE #2

TRACE #3


ThE hoME oF the AsiaCup Series is the Formula 1-standard Sepang International Circuit, which has hosted the Malaysian Grand Prix since 1999. Who better to take us for a quck lap than Ross Jamison, 2008 Formula BMW Pacific series champion, and now Meritus.GP driver coach.

overall Impression A circuit much loved by drivers, Sepang has something for everyone. The 5.4 km loop has a great mix of corners providing a technical challenge for drivers and engineers alike.

T11

T12

T13

T14

T10T9

T8T15 T7T6

T5T4

T3T2

T1

T1 2nd gearWith entry speeds nudging 200kph drivers hit the anchors just before the 50m board. The braking phase continues deep into the corner forcing drivers to manage braking and cornering performance (longitudinal and lateral grip). The exit of T1 is all about setting up T2. If you apex too early, or get too eager with the throttle, youll arrive at T2 too far to the left hand side of the circuit and ruin your average speed the whole way to T4.

T2 2nd gearA second gear corner, T2 drops away from the car at the apex - the circuits constant undulation is part of its charm. Drivers need to nail the throttle early because there is no lifting between the apex of T2 and the braking point at T4 - any speed deficit at corner exit is maintained for the next 500 hundred meters or so!

T3 6Th gear FLaT T3 is a non event in the dry. It is easy flat as drivers would say. In the wet it is a little more difficult. During heavy rainstorms T3 develops a number of cross circuit rivers which cause lots of oversteer and raised heart rates inside the cockpit.

T4 3rd gearThe cars arrive approaching the rev limiter in 5th before braking at the 50m board and firing down two gears. A traditional racing line arcs through the corner - drivers apex mid corner and use all the track width at the exit.

T5 5Th gearT5 is the first real high speed corner at Sepang. Taken in 5th gear, the cars accelerate through T5 hitting speeds well over 150kph. A little like the T1/2 complex, T5 is all about setting up T6. The entry point is very wide and the racing line gradually tightens into the apex just before the transition to T6. The aim is to create the widest angle possible as you enter T6.

T6 5Th gearAn extension of T5, T6 is fast and huge amounts of fun. In qualifying trim, T5/6 are both flat, a very satisfying feeling! If you do happen wash off the circuit at the exit, youll be welcomed by some very uncomfortable gravel traps.

T7/8 4Th / 5Th gearAlthough they may look like two corners on the track map, inside the car, T7/8 become one, double apex corner. Taken in fourth or fifth gear, depending on gear

ratios, theyre all about carrying good entry speed, loading the car quickly and picking up the throttle early for a fast run to T9.

T9 2nd gear One of the slowest corners on the track, T9 is taken in 2nd gear. A good overtaking spot, drivers should always beware of a kamikaze dive on the first lap! T9 has a slightly late apex. This enables drivers to straighten the exit phase and fire the car up the considerable gradient into T10/11.

T10 6Th gear FLaT Like T3, T10 is a non event in the dry. The cars are easy flat from the exit of T9 to the braking point at T11.

T11 4Th gear T11 can be very frustrating. Firstly, as you approach the corner, the apex is blind. In addition, even if you judge the apex perfectly, the corner proceeds to slope away from you (off camber) - it trys to suck you onto the kerb and spit you into the gravel.

T12 5Th gear Taken flat in fifth, T12 is another very speedy corner. A smooth approach helps to keep the car settled and stable ready for the T13/14 complex.

T13 5Th gearAs you enter T13, also flat in 5th gear, you hug the inside white line and dont let go. There is a handy slip road on the infield section which makes a good braking marker for T14.

T14 3rd gearThe whole way through T13 the car is laterally loaded. As such, when you hit the braking point for T14 (the slip road) you also straighten the steering wheel to give the tyres the grip they need to slow you down. Its then a matter of getting the car to pivot quickly and getting back on the power early. Any speed lost out of T14 is carried all the way down the back straight.

T15 3rd gearThe back straight is the perfect place to take a breather, adjust your brake bias (if necessary) and check your mirrors. Drivers arrive at T15 in 6th gear and hit the brakes about 60m from the corner. From here, you pop down three cogs and take a slightly late apex to ensure a good exit onto the main straight. And thats a lap of Sepang.

Hosts F1 and MotoGP. Minimum track width: 16m. Longest straight: 927.5m.

A lAp of

SepAng



THE V IS ION S E PA N G I N T E R N AT I O N A L C I R C U I T

In 1999 the Sepang International Circuit was launched

as Malaysias center of motorsport development

BELOW LEft tO right Sepangs famous landmarks have a firm place on the f1 calendar; Winner Lewis hamilton meets Petronas group CEO tan Sri Dato Shamsul Azhar Abbas and Prime Minister of Malaysia Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Sri Mohammad Najib Abdul razak

The flagship ofMalaysias Fourth PriMe Minister Datuk seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad outlined his vision of a hi-tech country and Malaysias automotive industry when he assumed the reins of office. shortly afterwards, the national car company, Proton, was launched.

More than 10 years after the countrys motor industry began to churn out a Malaysian-made car in 1985, the Prime Minister strove to get a Formula 1 race hosted. Mahathirs vision created the first F1 super circuit sepang, boosting the countrys high tech automotive industry and injecting sports tourism spin-offs.

in just 14-months a race-track of world-class feature and contour was built south of

Malaysias Fourth PriMe Minister Datuk seri Dr Mahathir Mohamad outlined his vision of a hi-tech country and Malaysias automotive industry when he assumed the reins of office. shortly afterwards, the national car company, Proton, was launched.

More than 10 years after the countrys motor industry began to churn out a Malaysian-made car in 1985, the Prime Minister strove to get a Formula 1 race hosted. Mahathirs vision created the first F1 super circuit sepang, boosting the countrys high tech automotive industry and injecting sports tourism spin-offs.

in just 14-months a race-track of world-class feature and contour was built south of


the capital city of Kuala lumpur, in a hi-tech belt already brimming with an ultra-modern airport, a cyber-city and multi-purpose stadium of olympic proportions.

When opening the sepang F1 Circuit on 9 March 1999 Mahathir said that the sepang F1 Circuit could become a center of motorsports development not only for the country but also for the region. he said it was cheaper for the foreign teams to base themselves in Malaysia and also that the hot weather conditions were good for testing all kinds of cars and engines.

Dr.Mahathir pointed out the value, in advertising dollars, of a global tV audience for the Malaysian-hosted Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The sepang racetrack was constructed at a cost of usD$100 million and was given the right to incorporate the official Formula 1 logo in its name. The facility was christened sepang international Circuit. The siC manages all motorsport activities, both locally and internationally, including the prestigious Fia World Formula 1 Grand Prix and FiM World MotoGP races.

today siCs Chairman is the Prime Ministers son tan sri Mokhzani Mahathir, who is assisting the circuit management to boost the Malaysian motorsport industry. his fathers Vision 2020 foresight has come alive with many international teams such as Meritus.GP, basing themselves

at sepang for the last 10 years, training and developing drivers and engineers.

todays Prime Minister, yang amat Berhormat Dato sri Mohammad Najib abdul razak has fully embraced his predecessors vision, and continues to encourage the Malaysian motorsport industry and has granted Meritus National team status.

The PM says: The asian sports industry has good growth potential, providing significant benefits for the Malaysian economy and globally promoting Malaysian Motorsport technology and our talented engineers. Meritus is a winning Malaysian brand, entrepreneurial and technically motivated and with a track record for creating champions.

the capital city of Kuala lumpur, in a hi-tech belt already brimming with an ultra-modern airport, a cyber-city and multi-purpose stadium of olympic proportions.

When opening the sepang F1 Circuit on 9 March 1999 Mahathir said that the sepang F1 Circuit could become a center of motorsports development not only for the country but also for the region. he said it was cheaper for the foreign teams to base themselves in Malaysia and also that the hot weather conditions were good for testing all kinds of cars and engines.

Dr.Mahathir pointed out the value, in advertising dollars, of a global tV audience for the Malaysian-hosted Formula 1 Grand Prix.

The sepang racetrack was constructed at a cost of usD$100 million and was given the right to incorporate the official Formula 1 logo in its name. The facility was christened sepang international Circuit. The siC manages all motorsport activities, both locally and internationally, including the prestigious Fia World Formula 1 Grand Prix and FiM World MotoGP races.

today siCs Chairman is the Prime Ministers son tan sri Mokhzani Mahathir, who is assisting the circuit management to boost the Malaysian motorsport industry. his fathers Vision 2020 foresight has come alive with many international teams such as Meritus.GP, basing themselves

at sepang for the last 10 years, training and developing drivers and engineers.

todays Prime Minister, yang amat Berhormat Dato sri Mohammad Najib abdul razak has fully embraced his predecessors vision, and continues to encourage the Malaysian motorsport industry and has granted Meritus National team status.

The PM says: The asian sports industry has good growth potential, providing significant benefits for the Malaysian economy and globally promoting Malaysian Motorsport technology and our talented engineers. Meritus is a winning Malaysian brand, entrepreneurial and technically motivated and with a track record for creating champions.

LEft the Mercedes AMg Petronas team gets a ViP visit from ex-Prime Minister Yang Amat Berbahagia tun Mahathir bin Mohamad; right Prime Minister of Malaysia Yang Amat Berhormat Dato Sri Mohammad Najib Abdul razak and f1 boss Bernie Ecclestone with a scale Meritus.gP gP2 car


Jake Parsons greets the chequered flag during the Formula Masters China Series race at the Sepang International Circuit

DREAM DEBUT

F1 FUTURES WH AT I S F 4 ?


F1 FUTURES Wh at i s F 4 ?

The FIA, motorsports governing body, has structured a career path from karting all the way to Formula 1 to simplify decision-making for those youngsters. The new Formula 4 worldwide initiative is the next step after karting, so all the driver has to

decide is which F4 series to race in, and where it is. Is it the more cost-effective and proven Asian route? Or will it be Europe? Whichever, the FIA is fully behind all of the sanctioned F4 series.

The FIA Single Seater Commission President, Gerhard Berger, explained the basis of F4 at its launch in March 2013. People are complaining that the best drivers are now all spread out, said the Austrian. You cant look at the British Formula 3 Championship, for example, and say that driver is certain to get to Formula 1. These days the best drivers are all over the place: one in Formula 3,

one in GP3, one in Formula Renault and one in Formula Abarth. The system no longer does what it is supposed to do, which is to give a highly talented driver a CV he can use to progress to Formula 1.

Chassis constructor Mygale was among the first to pledge support, and predicted a huge success. It is the time for a series to become as global as Formula Ford used to be 40 years ago, said Bertrand Decoster, Prsident Directeur Gnral of the French company. Right now, if you are a kid from Asia, Germany, the UK, United States, its a complex thing to know where to start off in racing.

The directive was simple. If interested in embracing the low-cost F4, each countrys ASN (National Sporting Authority) would nominate a promoter. They would then partner with a single engine manufacturer to tender a strictly regulated engine, homologated by the FIA, developing between 140-160bhp. Once that was chosen, chassis choice, was open within FIA regulations.

The carbon monocoque had to be built to the FIAs latest F3 safety standards. A single tire supplier would be appointed, to provide six slick tires for each car per event.

That was the objective. How well was it received in the racing world? As the FIAs Frdric Espinos states in these pages (see sidebar, The formula for success), countries, regions and continents quickly registered interest. Gerard Quinn, Head of Ford Racing Europe explains why Ford took an interest for the UK, but with an eye on other territories too. Affordability is really where we need to be, says Quinn, affordability brings the sustainability to make these championships last. People that come in, they get into the sport at an affordable level. Were doing all we can right now with our partners and suppliers to ensure that we have the best cost base. That means, best value, lowest cost for drivers relative to other series, and relative to whats available in the market place.

Building the

BridgeYou are a national kart champion, or

an international karting winner, but

for any 15-year-old or their family,

making the right decision for a

racing career is now as important

as choosing the best university


Where in the world?Italy was the first to embrace the new regulations, its ASN, the ACI-Csai, deciding to replace its Formula Abarth series, and upgrade to the FIA Formula 4 for 2014. Abarth remained on board with engines. Tatuus too, renowned for its junior category chassis, didnt hesitate either. Tatuus co-founder and director Gianfranco De Bellis explains. For Tatuus it is a very important project, we have always made important cars in the entry level sector, with FRenault, FToyota, FAbarth, etc.

Tatuus had to meet the FIAs intended cost of euro 38,000 for a rolling chassis, which the constructor decided would come equipped with the optional data-logging and paddle-shift gear-change system at a cost of euro 5,000 more. It was a very difficult challenge with new regulations and tight deadlines to build it to the very high safety requirements and meet the target cost imposed by the FIA, says De Bellis.

Formula 1

Formula 4

Go-Kart

ABOVE The FIA is streamlining formula racing with F4 BELOW Tatuus and Mygale chassis

?



F4 in italY: the racers lineVincenzo sospiri Was the 1987 World Kart champion, he won races in opel Lotus for peter thompsons team and he was F3000 champion in 1995. in 2012, for a story in F1 racing magazine, Michael schumacher was asked who his racing heroes were when he was younger. his answer was a surprise to some, not to others. to start with it was Vincenzo sospiri, said the German seven-time Formula 1 World champion, then it was ayrton. those two guys inspired me big time while i was karting. today, sospiri is the team boss of euronova racing, and prides himself on nurturing

new talent. euronova runs teams in autoGp, Formula renault and new this year italys Fia Formula 4 series. When sospiri won his kart title, his route up to F1 thats another story was simple.

My choice was pretty much limited to either Formula Ford or going straight into F3, he says. i chose Formula Ford because at the time the British championship was so strong, and it also represented the best value for money.today, euronova racing is running three cars in the italian

F4 championship for its youngsters, and sospiri is excited about the categorys potential for new talent. this must be the best chance there is for a serious worldwide entry level championship to be created, he says. the Fia has overseen the cars development and the aim was to make a car that was good for teaching young kids the fundamental racing skills in a controlled environment the key points about set-up, and experiencing different circuits etc.the components for the italian series, run by the aci-

csa, are detuned abarth engines installed in tatuus chassis on pirelli tyres. above all, its easy for the teams and the driver, and within the constrained budget.the first round at adria attracted 22 cars, which is healthy,

whichever way you look at it. there is a huge amount of interest in the championship from non-italian drivers, sospiri continues. the entry list for the first round included drivers from 11 different nations.i think F4 is a very good step for drivers straight out of karting who want to do

something before tackling F3 or even Frenault. the championship gives the drivers an opportunity to learn without a huge budget. an F3 car is of course a beautiful car, but the cost now is very expensive. its definitely better for drivers to learn with something that allows you to make some mistakes without finishing your budget in one go.euronovas three young drivers all have karting backgrounds, and the team has already

scored two wins at time of writing. two of our drivers are italians, Leonardo pulcini and andrea Fontana, explains sospiri. they both have strong karting backgrounds, particularly pulcini who was the KFJ World champion last year. he is only just 16 so F4 has been perfect for him. he started testing during the winter and after 12 from 21 races is third in the championship. he has the talent to go far but in italy its always difficult as there is very little support for young drivers and sponsorship is hard to find. our third driver is a russian kid sponsored by sMp, ivan Matveev. he had his first podium at imola, and turned 16 during the season. Fontana took his first win at Magione, while the teams Frenault driver Ukyo sasahara stepped back to F4 for one event, and won it at adria.

The final car price including Abarth engine, data acquisition, paddle shift system (Magneti Marelli ) has been fixed at euro 47.500,00. Not only is the price of the car very low, but the running costs are too.

WSK Promotion had been appointed to promote the series, and the Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth was born. In early June 2014, the seven-event, 21-race series was underway. There were 22 cars on the grid at Adria for the first race.

Italy had been the first to commit to a championship, and Tatuus was the obvious chassis partner, and its deal in Italy with Abarth was basically a continuation of its existing relationship. Who else was interested in this new concept to relaunch single-seater racing on a national level?

Mygale, had already been working on its own global chassis program, with kits to fit with various manufacturers should they choose, and introduced a concept car in early July 13, for markets worldwide. The constructor made quick progress, signing with China and engine manufacturer Geely. Mygale and CAMS (Australias federation) also inked a deal engine to be decided.

Have car, will raceFor CAMS the option of F4 was a no-brainer. We had a national Formula Ford championship in Australia which we sanctioned, that I think was progressively becoming too expensive, says Mike Smith, CAMS General Manager, Motor Sport. Certainly we felt the cost of competing had become far too much for what is an entry level category. We also felt that it became more about the development of the car rather than the development of the driver.

Also, Formula Ford internationally was becoming less relevant. A lot of countries were moving away from running a Formula Ford category. So Formula 4 was just logical. Its a newer formula, its safer, Its also a formula that the FIA is recognizing around the world. So really it was just a no-brainer.

Ford Motorsports management itself had the same thoughts. For us it was a natural evolution to go from Formula Ford into F4 in terms of the opportunity that it provided, explains Gerard Quinn, Head of Ford Racing Europe. It aligns very well with what weve always done in junior single seat racing. To be part of, and to have the responsibility to run the British championship, and for that to be part of the global plan from the FIA, to have a single standard where it is the entry level for people coming into motor racing, I think is very important.

Evolution not revolutionFormula Ford, since its 1966 inception had been the natural starting point for racers worldwide. F1 World Champions Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Nigel Mansell, Jody Scheckter, Damon Hill and Jenson Button are just a few that won in Formula Ford as youngsters.

In Britain, like Australia, it was decided that the national Formula Ford Championship would morph into FIA F4, starting in 2015, with the Mygale chassis powered by Fords EcoBoost engine. We took the decision because we believed it was the right thing to do, and it sits naturally with what we

ABOVE Vincenzo Sospiri mentors his young Euronova Racing star Leonardo Pulcini

Michael Schumacher was asked who his racing heroes were. His answer was a surprise to some, not to others. To start with it was Vincenzo Sospiri

W I N T E R 2 0 1 4 TRACKRECORD 27

ABOVE The Tatuus has been racing in Italy, while the Mygale has been displayed and tested at circuits in France and Australia

Formula 4 is up and running in italy, but we wanted the opinions of experienced drivers of the new machine. neither Gerhard Berger nor Vincenzo sospiri have tried the car yet, but trackrecord found to guys who have put the the mygale and tatuus chassis through their paces, one of them taking a victory. Karl reindler is a former australian F3 champion, who raced in

British F3, a1GP and the V8 supercar series. he took the wheel of the mygale at Wodonga as the first chassis had its maiden run on australian soil.its a fantastic little car, said reindler. it reminds me of the

days when i was racing open-wheeler, and i reckon its going to produce some pretty exciting racing as well. its got a great amount of mechanical grip, and obviously its got aero as well. as far as open-wheelers go, its all about slicks and wings, its the logical step. coming out of karts at 14 or 15 years old, you can jump into a car thats very affordable to run and maintain, and experience this first hand. so, its not going to break the bank as

far as racing cars go, and its the perfect stepping stone to the next level and beyond.at adria in italy in april, ukyo sasahara was about to turn

18 years old and was preparing to climb aboard the tatuus F4 chassis in the first event of the italian F.4 championship. the Japanese driver, usually racing for euronova, stepped back into one of the teams regular cars while its driver was elsewhere. he won the second of the three races, against 21 other tatuus-abarths. i love driving any car!, he said. it was something new for me and to experience and drive a different car.is it a good car for youngsters? i think Formula 4 car is

quite easy to drive for a driver from karting, sasahara says. it is the same with left foot braking and the paddle shift is not difficult to get used to. there is also a lot of grip from tire that makes it easy to control. the driving style is a little bit different but is not a big change, so generally, yes, it is good from karting.

Behind the Wheel


a steP closer to FerrarieVery racinG driVer dreams of a seat with Ferrari in F1, and often that dream can seem a million miles away. For two drivers in the very early stages of their careers, Ferraris driver academy is already using Formula 4 is a key to their development. canadian Lance stroll, 15, and chinas Guanyu zhou, 14, are two of the academys five drivers.Mid-season, stroll was leading the

italian F4 championship for the prema powerteam, whilezhou, 14, the reigning 2013 Junior

rotax european champion, is racing for the strawberry racing team in the rotax Max euro challenge championship and the ciK-Fia european KF championship and will take part in the 2014 ciK-Fia World KF World championship.But before that zhou was at Ferraris

test track, Maranello, to run his first laps is an F4 car, prior to moving up to the category for 2015. i was a bit nervous this morning, as it was my first time in a single-seater and the track had a lot of water on it, but then it all went well and it felt fantastic. its completely different to a kart. you have to try and adapt your driving style to it in a hurry and get used to much higher speeds. the prema team and the engineers from the academy followed my every step and taught me a lot and im really grateful.the three other drivers in the Ferrari

driver academy this year are Jules Bianchi (F1), raffaele Marciello (Gp2) and antonio Fuoco (european F3).

always have done in our 48 year history in Formula Ford, continued Quinn.

Australias target market, like most of the F4 franchises, is the karting market. And for that CAMS has an ace up its sleeve. Literally an ace, in the form of a five-time 500cc Motorcycle World Champion. Mick Doohan is the Chairman of Karting Australia, and we have a terrific relationship with him and Karting Australia, says Smith of CAMS. This has been a really strategic decision by us, and they have been involved in those discussions. They certainly see that Formula 4 is the next step out of karting. So weve been talking with them quite a lot.

Attracting youth from the karting world is a crucial point in the FIAs global remit, in that the safety rules for F4, in mandating an F3- standard monocoque, allows for 15-year old licence holders to race. This is a boost for the UK, as currently, this is something its rivals at junior level in the UK cant offer.

Within days, Ford and its decision to switch to F4 in the UK was welcomed by the racing world, both present and future, with requests for information about the new series flowing in. It was abundantly clear to us that the majority of our stakeholders that are currently in Formula Ford want to migrate to F4 next season, states Quinn. So I guess thats one of those encouraging things that shows were making the right decision, because the people that are in the sport today, want to be a part of it in the future.

Mygale has gone head-long into F4, developing its chassis for multiple engine suppliers. We have decided to develop with two companies based in Magny-Cours where we have good connections, says Decoster. Then the engine package is to attract

manufacturers. We are naturally working closely with them as it is the philosophy of the F4 FIA. So we are working with all homologated manufacturers.

Japan, too, will be switching to the Formula 4 rules for 2015, is introducing yet another manufacturer/chassis combination. Replacing Formula Challenge, the FIA F4 chassis is being produced by Dome with its F110 and powered by its long-term race partner TOMS. In mid August, the car had its first shakedown run in Japan, unpainted but ready for action.

What is the future?Short term, the interest in Formula 4 is high. Besides the countries and territories named above, there are more ASNs around the world evaluating F4 for their own regions. And, Mygale for instance, is targeting a run of 100 chassis in its program, Tatuus 25, More manufacturers and constructors are checking out its progress. Longer term there is talk of maybe having a Formula 4 grand finale where the champions from around the world meet for run-offs to determine a global champion. But those are plans for the longer term. For now though Formula 4 is growing quickly into that crucial first step on the racing ladder wherever you are from.


Rolling chassis 33,000 +VATEnginE Any FIA registered engines, 9500 (max)options Paddle shift and data acquisition, 5,000

chassis n FIA F4 specified safety standard

homologated carbon monocoque tRansmission n Six-speed sequential FRont suspEnsion n Double wishbone with pushrods, twin

shock layout, camber and toe adjustable

REaR suspEnsion n Double wishbone with pushrods, twin

shock layout, camber, toe, roll center, anti-squat adjustable

BRakEs n Twin pot calipers, ventilated discBodywoRk n Fiberglass

FRont wingn Main-plane adjustable REaR wing n Two aero profiles, main-plane adjustableovERall lEngth n 4250mm (MAX)ovERall width n 1750mm

UNDER THE SKIN

ABOVE The Dome F4 chassis was due to be unvelived in Japan in late August

the Formula For success


the Fdration internationale de lautomobile (Fia) governs motorsport worldwide, and is behind the Formula 4 initiative designed specifically to simplify the stepping stones of junior racing for drivers dreaming of Formula 1. Frdric espinos, single-seater championships manager, explains the Fias theories behind the category to trackrecord

TracK rEcord simplifying junior racing has long been necessary, makin g just one obvious route to F1. has your Formula 4 initiative been welcomed by asns around the world?FIa: We have a strong interest from asns and this is the key, as Formula 4 is an asn project. We want Formula 4 to stay at the national level. asn are our only contact, and each project is presented and supported by an asn, in order to be certified by the Fia. the philosophy of F4 is to help asns to have a strong single-seater championship.this quote from (Fia president) Jean todt should help you: Fia

Formula 4 is a great initiative, firstly, because this discipline represents the missing step which exists between karting and Formula 3 today. secondly, Formula 4 creates a synergy between the Fia and all asns through the training of the talent of tomorrow in a championship which matches both control of costs with the highest levels of safety. With Formula 4, young drivers from every country have the chance to put themselves in the spotlight from the beginning of their career.

You have italy, next australia. Possibly the uK? What other national authorities have expressed an interest in Formula 4?italy is running. in 2015 australia, UK, china, north european zone (russia, estonia, Finland, sweden) and Germany are confirmed. Japan will be there. We also have request from south america, Middle east and Usa, but these are not 100 percent finalized yet.

What about engine manufacturers? there is abarth in italy, Ford maybe in the uK, what others do you know of?abarth, Ford, Volkswagen and Geely are the first engines supplier. a few others are interested and looking for opportunities. We are working to get them involved around the Formula 4 project.

With different engine/chassis suppliers could there be a competitive end-of-season finale, like macau or the masters that exists for F3?Before working on a finale, we need to be sure that we have strong F4 championship all around the world, on a long-term basis. We will think about a final when all the championships are running well. so far, we do not know any more about a final and we do not start to think about different engine / chassis or not.

are you happy that the costs will remain low?this is a key point. it is in the regulations, the season should be under 100,000 euros.

What will the Fias involvement be once the various national series are underway?We will give tools to the asns to run the championship: sporting regulations, technical regulations, organization guidelines and communication guidelines. We will support them in terms of communication and if they want, we are able so send technical delegates. the Fia will help those championships to have credibility, and for that sporting and technical equity are two main pillars. the goal is also to support asns in the organization of such championships, as countries like china or even russia do not have that in their culture. the goal is also to share knowledge and to educate people.

What promotion do you expect the Fia will provide?We will have a dedicated part on Fia.com, we will push F4 on the Fia social network and we will include Formula 4 in the single-seater communication strategy.

Formula 4 has been well received. have you had good feedback?here is a quote from Gerhard Berger: people like our concept, and i feel that we are entering a very interesting phase for Fia Formula 4. it is taking shape in numerous countries. this year, the italian Formula 4 championship is an important first step. We are following its development closely, and the Fia will lend all its support to the csai, especially where sporting and technical equality and communication are concerned. in 2015, there are potentially seven championships that will be staged across the world, and even more in 2016. We are conducting a long-term project, the objective being to make Fia Formula 4 the first indisputable step for single-seater racing drivers, by offering an optimum level of safety while at the same time keeping costs down. Formula 4 will re-launch single-seater racing on the national level and thus offer a new breeding ground of drivers for Formula 1, but also for all the other top-level disciplines.

ovERall hEight n 950mm (from reference plane)whEElBasE: n 2750mmtRack n (Fr/Rr) 1500mm/1460mmwEight n 570kg

tyREs n Fr 195 /5 50R13, Rr 240 / 570R13Rims n Fr 8J-13, Rr 10J-13EnginE n Any FIA F4 registered and

homologated engines

taRgEt liFE n 10,000kmREBuild cost n 4000 (Cost per kilometer, based on three-

year basis, 0.7/km)options n Paddle shift transmission, data

acquisition and camera car facility

lEasing option n 6000 (3-year basis)

Rebuild cost after 10,000km, 1500 (max) (Cost per kilometer, based on three-year basis, 0.7/km)

30 TRACKRECORD S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 430 TRACKRECORD W I N T E R 2 0 1 4

Gerhard Berger is no stranger to the world of motorsport. The austrian raced in formula 1 for 14 years, with stints at mclaren, ferrari and Benetton, achieving 10 grand prix wins, 48 podium finishes and 12 pole positions. without doubt, he is one of the star drivers from the 1990s who impressed the fans

and audiences around the world. in 2012 he joined the fia, on its single seat Commission.in his role there, he is now focused on streamlining the choices the young, hopeful, stars of

tomorrow face in choosing their path towards the dream of formula 1. to that end, he is one of the prime movers with the fia in the introduction of formula 4.

Building thePyramid

aspiring

world champions

have to make crucial choices

early in their careers if they want to

make Formula 1. gerhard Berger, grand

Prix winner, is supporting the simplifying of that path

INTERV IEW G E R H A R D B E R G E R



F4 should be the entry formula of all the young kids after karting when

they go into motor racing in a single-seater category and it should be the first step to

direct young kids to F1.


Can you explain the thinking of Formula 4?Gerhard Berger: first of all it is important to define what f4 is. f4 should be the entry formula of all the young kids after karting when they go into motor racing in a single-seater category and it should be the first step to direct young kids to f1 the idea is to have a pyramid to f1: f4, f3, f2, f1.

Currently are there too many formulae for young racers?Yes, in general and i know we are building a formula also. But we are trying to build a perfect pyramid. it is going to be a strong formula. it is a good concept and a perfect car. it shows that there is an unbelievable demand from the entire world. i think we need a good concept. we have a cool car. italy started the first championship this year. simplifying junior racing has long been necessary, making just one obvious route to f1.

has your Formula 4 initiative been welcomed by aSns around the World?we have italy this year, with the first Championship. next year: China, next australia, the UK. possibly germany and south america. lots of countries are in negotiations with us. in the next three to five years we want to cover the whole world on the same concept of technical regulation and building a big platform for the kids to start to show their potential. from f4 it then leads directly to f3.

What is the age limit for this formula?age is 15. everything is run under the national organization: asn. not international. What other national authorities have expressed an interest in Formula 4?all asn have taken our recommendation and our technical regulations and run as it is given. it is comparable worldwide between different championships.

INTERV IEW G E R H A R D B E R G E R

The Italian F4 Championship Powered by Abarth is already in full swing and is attracting large entries in its first season. Fords EcoBoost powered Mygale will be the centerpiece of the 2015 British F4 Champion-ship and maybe elsewhere

The FIAs Gerhard Berger and President Jean Todt at a round of the European F3 series at Pau. F4 is designed for drivers out of karting. From F4, F3 is the next step


What about engine manufacturers?The concept is that in each country there is a single engine supplier. we have a clear frame of 150-160 hp. The engine has a certain weight and power curve configuration. it means worldwide that we are running the same car performance. it is not limited to one engine. each country can see who supports them as engine manufacturer.

There are different type of engine and manufacturers involved. There is abarth in italy, ford in the UK, toms in Japan, geely, Vw etc... There is no development competition and this keeps the costs down. it is not very expensive.

with different engine/chassis suppliers there could be a competitive end-of season finale, like macau or the masters that exists for f3.

are you confident that the costs will remain low? What will the Fias involvement be once the various series are underway?The fia is trying to put the concept and the regulations on the table and to coordinate it so that it is run with the right quality, with the right fairness, with the right scrutineering and the right development.

is F4 really the perfect stepping stone?it is working well in italy. it is a full house there already. The next three years we have to establish it, and there will be room for 300 cars.

What about nationalities? is italy for italian drivers only for instance? national meaning geographically? everyone can come whatever their nationality.

What are your thoughts about F3?f3 is the most important class at the moment for all the young people going into f1. f3 is the big shot at the moment. f3 and ex-Bmw championship is extremely strong and it is the logical gap between f1 and f4. Kvyat did a few good races in f3. This year, he is in f1. max Verstappen is another good example. next year he will be in f1. f3 is the most competitive of the youngster programs. it has an extremely high team and driver quality. it only exists in europe. The furthest is moscow.

are there other plans?There will be a winter cup in the middle east with close to 30 cars in europe and 30 cars in the middle east starting in January. The important race in asia for now is macao. But there are no other plans for now.

Final question, have you driven one?no! i am not in the driving mood any more!

We have italy this year with the first championship. Next year: China, next Australia, the UK, possibly Germany and

South America. Lots of countries in negotiations with us


MERITUS.GP H I S TO R Y I N T H E M A K I N G

The FIA-standard Mygale Formula 4 chassis has undergone detailed testing as it is readied for its 2015 introduction. PHOTO: ARNAUD TAQUET

DAWN OF A NEW ERA

F1 FUTURES I S F O r M U L A 1 Y O U r D r E A M ?


Training is one of the major strengths of the Meritus.GP organization, on and off the track. With a trip inside the hallowed Formula 1 Grand Prix paddock. Four Meritus.GP students got a taste of things to come?

Heroes past, present and future. LEFT Daniel Woodroof rubs shoulders with former F1World Champion and team boss, Alain Pros in Singapore 2013t. RIGHT Aussie juniors Jake Parsons and Luis Leeds hook up with Lotus F1 driver Pastor Maldonado inside the Formula 1 paddock at Albert Park, Melbourne, in 2014



Working with an F1 team itself was incredible, especially with a top team, like Mercedes. Every single

detail is key. So for a young driver like me having the chance, its amazing. Jazeman Jaafar

Meritus.GP champion, Jazeman Jaafar gets cockpit time with the Mercedes F1 car thanks to winning a place on the Petronas Young Driver Programme



The golden ticket to have is an FIA pass. Its simply a credit card-sized piece of plastic, attached to a nice lanyard. But a Formula 1 paddock pass is like gold dust to anyone with a desire to be part of the globe-

trotting Formula 1 circus. It opens the door and lets the holder take a look at the workings inside the pinnacle of motorsport, where the show is put on the road.

For the stars of Meritus.GP, past and present, Formula 1 is the goal. They all know its a difficult target, but just one day with that credit card-sized piece of plastic showed them what can be achieved, with focus, hard work, dedication and sacrifice.

Daniel Woodroof, the AsiaCup Malaysia champion last year, visited Singapore in 2013 thanks to Meritus.GP. Formula 1 has always been a thing that I had watched on TV. Five years ago, my parents got me tickets as a birthday present and Ive been going

to the Sepang races every year (but one) since! Wed always sit at the first corner, so I would always be able to catch glimpses of the pit stops. What went on within the pits always remained a mystery, but all was revealed when I went to the Singapore GP - and I was not disappointed!

I expected it to be like the very typical glitz and glamour of Formula 1, says the Malaysian. Im happy to say it met and surpassed my expectations. A lot of what you expect, is what you see on the TV cameras. But theres so much more going on behind the scenes, and theres so many more people there. It was so incredible.

AsiaCup points leader after the first four races, Australias Jake Parsons, felt the same, as he swiped the pass through the intimidating electronic turnstiles and gained access to the inner sanctum, at Melbourne this year. I was a bit nervous, because I felt like I dont know if Im supposed to be here? and that they might turn me away.

Friendly advice from the stars

AllAn Mcnish... on marketing yourself You cannot miss an opportunity, so dont be afraid to introduce yourself. Lewis Hamilton is a great example, doing that to McLarens Ron Dennis when he was 12. Going up to a team owner or potential sponsor and saying, Hi, Im So-and-So, this is what Im doing, where Im racing and where I want to be, its nice to meet you. It can be daunting but it allows you to become known at an early stage in your career.

... on learning media skills Media and marketing experience is vital. Vauxhall did a video interview about my championship-winning year in 1988, to be used in its dealerships in the UK. The producers had to put subtitles on because they couldnt understand anything Id said! Thats when I learned that I should slow down a bit when I speak

... on his best advice My dad told me when I was a wee boy that its not the good shots that make the good golfers; its the good recoveries.

Jenson Button ... on never stop learning When I first arrived in Formula 1 with Williams I thought, You know what? The car might not be fantastic, but Im still going to win every race. I had that much confidence that I could drive round all those issues. You will always be learning, from karting through all the formulas all the way to Formula 1. Theres not a race that goes by that I dont learn something new. We all aim to be the best, and thats fantastic. You should be aiming for that too. But never, ever, think you are the best because then youve got nothing else to learn.

... on dealing with Formula 1 life Cameras are shoved in your face every which way you turn thats in racing and also your private life. But thats all part of it, and youve got to take it on the chin. Theres also the fitness, the nutrition, theres so many areas youve got to work on to really reach the pinnacle of the sport.

... on staying positive If you have a bad race, youve got to show that youre upset that you had a bad race. But youve also got to put it behind you. You cant think about those issues too much. Pick something from it that is positive.


Being a young kid, F1 always seemed to be a fantasy world, he adds. I imagined all the drivers just walking around, with paparazzi following them! But it was a lot more organized. It was like a much more professional version of what Im already doing. It was more down to earth, less fantasy, seeing what it was really like. It seemed more real.

Luis Leeds, in his first year of formula racing with the AsiaCup, had an idea what F1 was like already, as his fathers business handles the Red Bull Racing merchandise at the Grand Prix events around the world. Id already been to the Grands Prix at Abu Dhabi and Silverstone before I even started karting, says the 14-year old, but back then I was just getting a little glimpse of what was happening with Dads business. I mainly just walked around, had a look and observed it all.

This time he was in the Melbourne paddock, observing a whole new world of activity. Like fellow AsiaCup Series racer Jake, Luis was amazed at the

seBAstiAn Vettel ... on the formative years My family was very important for me. With their full support, I started when I was very young and thanks to them I am now in Formula 1, which always was the dream for me. Karting is definitely an important school and I still enjoy karting when or if I have some spare time. Looking back, those years were important, and I like them the most. If I had not made such a good start to my career, maybe I would have never entered the world of Formula 1.

... on making the most of bad days My earliest best memory in cars would definitely be my championship win in Formula BMW. They were good times. I really have no bad memories. I learnt a lot from the races that maybe disappointed me, so I suppose there are no bad races! Even today, every race is important to me.

DArio FrAnchitti ... on keeping it real My dream to be a racing driver started when I was three years old. I remember starting in karts and thinking that Formula 1 was just a given at that age. Then you get to about 14 or 15 and you begin to realise how difficult this could be. After that I never took it for granted, I never expected success. Even when I first went to America, I still felt it was all going to stop somehow. Dad was definitely your typical racing Dad in karts. But when I moved up to cars, he let it go. He was still always there, but he left it to the team to do their job.

ruBens BArrichello ... on sacrifices I was 17 when, after a year of Formula Ford in Brazil, I decided to move to Europe. I was hired by an Italian team - Draco Racing - for the EFDA Opel Lotus Euroseries. It was a big jump, but I had to move to Europe. Ayrton [Senna] had done it, and Emerson [Fittipaldi] before him. I could speak Italian, so it was fine with the team. They were like my European family. Then I felt it was good for me to go to England, so I could learn the language.

... on observing others I loved the qualifying. I love perfect lap, that one lap when you are concentrating so hard. Our Opel Lotus races supported Formula 1 events, and I would always watch Sennas qualifying lap. After I would go and sit and concentrate, then go and make my time. We were limited on tyres, so it was a bit like F1. All your effort goes into those laps.

A lot of what you expect is what you see on TVTheres so much more going on behind the

scenes. And theres so many more people there. It was so incredible Daniel Woodrooff

ABOVE Leeds and Parsons stand by as the members of the Sahara Force India crew practice pitstops; BELOW Woodroof wonder if anyone would notice if he took the Mercedes F1 car for a drive


DAViD coulthArD... on keeping the dream I remember walking around the Jerez track in 1990 with Rubens Barrichello, who didnt speak any English at the time, and my teammate Gil de Ferran translating. Three young guys, late teens (Gil was 21 )learning, and when I look back, the three of us were starting an incredible journey in racing. We were just kids, walking the track, and imagining and dreaming about being Formula One drivers. Rubens and I won Grands Prix, Gil won the Indy 500.

... on having a goal The whole EFDA Euroseries was a great experience. Racing on the Sunday morning of a Grand Prix, travelling Europe to the circuits, and standing at the side of the track watching the F1 guys and thinking, maybe one day that could be me out there... thats the biggest thing I remember. It was a great learning experience. I was young and quite naive to world travel, and that helped me a lot.

Jos VerstAppen... on his first time in 1994 I must say I thought the jump from F3 to F1 would be quite difficult. I was thinking about the power, the brakes, the fast corners. But really, it was not so difficult. The power was incredible! On the first lap I thought shit! I never thought it would be so fast. But by the third lap I was really enjoying it, it was fantastic. After 10-15 laps it feels normal and you find yourself wanting more. Still, its very fast.. Everyone says how much it takes out of your neck, but unless youve actually driven a car, you cant build for it.

DAViD BrABhAM ... on staying focused At the end of 1987, Dad (triple World Champion Sir Jack Brabham) sat me down, and asked: How serious are you about this? Do you want to go to Europe? Camel wanted to sponsor me, and that was my ticket to England. Having driven an Atlantic car, the Opel Lotus was like jumping from F3 back to FBMW today. I absolutely hated it. The season went downhill quickly. I lost my motivation, and I could see my career disappearing. The team sat me down and said: What the hells going on? You are a talented driver. Youve got to dig deeper than that. I went to the next race and had my best result.

... on making the most of any opportunity In a strange way the Opel Lotus experience helped my career. From that I was given the opportunity to race in Class B F3, it was like I had a new life. It suited me.

number of people working behind the scenes. It was actually more glamorous than I thought it was going to be; busier. I thought it would just be teams and drivers, but there are a lot more people in there, associated with F1. It showed me the importance of the backup that the drivers need.

One former Meritus.GP champion knows full well the benefit of a powerful sponsor; Jazeman Jaafar tells the story. Petronas had formed the Young Driver Programme, and the racing school in Malaysia. I was gutted because I wasnt selected for 2007, so we had to raise the sponsorship ourselves, to race in Formula BMW Asia.

Jaafar joined Meritus.GP, and went on to win that 2007 Formula BMW Asia championship. He also had a pleasant surprise the morning after the final race. We had the phone call from Petronas the day after we won, and thats how I got into their Petronas Talent Development Programme.

That programme means the Malaysian has been taken under the wing of the all-conquering AMG Mercedes Petronas F1 team, with Jazeman enjoying simulator time at its UK base, and getting the chance to drive a recent F1 car on demonstrations and filming days. He is continuing his racing too, having finished second in the prestigious British F3 championship, and taking podium finishes in 2012 and 2013 at Monaco on the Formula 1 support bill, in the Formula Renault 3.5 races.

It was my dream to finish on the podium there, because in Monaco you get an ACM (Automobile Club de Monaco) trophy with your name engraved on it, he says. Its only in Monaco that you can do that. I qualified on the front row and finished third two years running. So Im really happy to have two of the trophies.

In November 2013, a few days after his 21st birthday, he was in the cockpit of the F1 car at

Wed always sit at the first corner, so I wouldbe able to catch glimpses of the pitstops. Whatwent on in the pits remained a mystery, but all

was revealed in Singapore! Daniel Woodroof



eFDA: Junior school with star graduatesFrOM 1979 t

Documents

TrackRecord - Sept 2014