A single seater miracle??

[designndrive62]

Would never have thought that the MSA Formula would have the potential to be so successful, but they are claiming a full grid for next year in its replacement of Formula Ford. I won't get too excited until the teams actually have confirmed drives, and that the cars aren't just sitting in workshops, but to have sold 32 cars is a huge leap in progress for single seaters in the uk.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/116714

[Altrezia]

I know two people who are racing in this. Neither had planned to, but suddenly got 'a chance' in September/October. I wonder if they started selling the cars cheaply to get a good grid?

Sounds fun, and a big grid will do wonders for the series =)

[MG CHRIS]

Good news just hope numbers in the other support series rise in line with this.

[designndrive62]

Ginetta junior had 17 out in their first winter series round last weekend I think, which is always a good sign. Usually winter series struggle to get to double figures!

[EDLT]

Another new single seater series? Reminds me of this

[anonymous-user]

Its new but its old in a way, its just replacing formula ford.

[MG CHRIS]

Its not a new series just a merger of ff and f4 with great success and be great to have a big grid single seater series on the btcc package.

[Northern_Monkey]

Its not a merger of anything - it's Formula Ford adopting F4 regulations

[MG CHRIS]

Northern_Monkey said:

Its not a merger of anything - it's Formula Ford adopting F4 regulations

True yea, the new teams going into the new formula are they exsisting teams already in F4 etc or new teams all together. Seems a bit made to have to F4 regulated single seater categories but if both grids have good to full grids cant complain.

[GoCharlieM]

I just bought Formula Renault to compete in the French Hillclimb Championship and after chatting with quite a few of the teams that run them, I got the impression that a lot of the younger drivers are looking to move to F4 instead now.

I've started a blog about it - http://gocharliehillclimb.blogspot.co.uk

[anonymous-user]

GoCharlieM said:

I just bought Formula Renault to compete in the French Hillclimb Championship and after chatting with quite a few of the teams that run them, I got the impression that a lot of the younger drivers are looking to move to F4 instead now.

I've started a blog about it - http://gocharliehillclimb.blogspot.co.uk

FR in the UK has been dead for some time. No national series since 2011 and only a handful of runners in the club series this year, so it's hardly going to lose much to F4.

Single seaters are not very well supported in the UK any more at all. FF hasn't had a full grid for years, F3 is almost dead. Palmer's F4 has had a good grid but I'm not sure that qualifies as a national series and it seemed fairly irrelevant given the lack of tech in the cars; space frame, no aero, not a lot of grip.

Hopefully, the new F4 will give us a series worthy of the name, though it may be all we get next year.

[marshal_alan]

yet at club level real f-ford is booming, just ask gavin ray and neil bold. even here in scotland we have gone from a mishmash of old van diemen chassis and some classics with thee rare post 2000 car to half a gridful of ray's less than 3 years old. the fact that bold are making new kent engines is helping plus budgets are realistic

[designndrive62]

REALIST123 said:

FR in the UK has been dead for some time. No national series since 2011 and only a handful of runners in the club series this year, so it's hardly going to lose much to F4.

Single seaters are not very well supported in the UK any more at all. FF hasn't had a full grid for years, F3 is almost dead. Palmer's F4 has had a good grid but I'm not sure that qualifies as a national series and it seemed fairly irrelevant given the lack of tech in the cars; space frame, no aero, not a lot of grip.

Hopefully, the new F4 will give us a series worthy of the name, though it may be all we get next year.

Pretty sure I read that british f3 is now no more after the dreadful year this year and won't be running next year at all. Renault did talk about restarting frenault uk but seem to have given up. I've got real hope for the MSA f4, but the brdc seem to be supporting the msvr f4.... As it's been rebranded brdc f4. It really doesn't help that the MSA and brdc can't even agree on a single seat formula to back. They are just constantly shooting themselves in the foot.

[lanan]

REALIST123 said:

Palmer's F4 has had a good grid but I'm not sure that qualifies as a national series and it seemed fairly irrelevant given the lack of tech in the cars; space frame, no aero, not a lot of grip.

Hopefully, the new F4 will give us a series worthy of the name, though it may be all we get next year.

Where do you get your info regarding " Palmers F4 " ?....If you think that they are low tech.....The MSA Formula will really disappoint you then.

[rubystone]

lanan said:

Where do you get your info regarding " Palmers F4 " ?....If you think that they are low tech.....The MSA Formula will really disappoint you then.

He's right, in terms of the construction of the car. JP knew that when he took the decision to build the cars but felt (and was proved right) that if he built them the drivers would come (to coin a phrase).

We do need strong national series single seater formulae to provide the stepping stone from karting through to F3, but let's stick to just one.

[anonymous-user]

lanan said:

REALIST123 said:

Palmer's F4 has had a good grid but I'm not sure that qualifies as a national series and it seemed fairly irrelevant given the lack of tech in the cars; space frame, no aero, not a lot of grip.

Hopefully, the new F4 will give us a series worthy of the name, though it may be all we get next year.

Where do you get your info regarding " Palmers F4 " ?....If you think that they are low tech.....The MSA Formula will really disappoint you then.

I've looked at them a few times since they were introduced and got a very close look at one of Enigma' s chassis when it was stripped down for modification last December. I've also had the opportunity to have a good look at some of the wings and other components.

Always puzzled me that a dozen years after Tatuus produced a nice carbon tub at a reasonable price, others were unable to come up with anything better than that F4. Hardly Ralph Firman's finest hour, IMO.

Very disappointing to hear you say the new offering is going to be worse. Odd that Palmer's moving to that chassis next year too, if so. That's another lot of redundant single seaters to be flogged off then. I wonder where they'll end up.

[lanan]

It may be a space frame, but that is not a biggie.
The car has a good amount of downforce, with wings and a flat bottom and on the German F3 slix, a good amount of grip.

The current cars can go back to MSV at a trade in value against the new Tatuus car or be sold into club championships like Monoposto in Sept 15