Exciting international line-up for revitalized Formula 4 South East Asia

Shanghai, China (October 26, 2023) – Anticipation is rising for the revamped Formula 4 South East Asia Championship Certified by FIA (F4 SEA), which is ready to burst into action at China’s Zhuzhou International Circuit.

The youngsters will compete over 11 races across four weekends in F4 SEA, now promoted by Top Speed. After three races at the Zhuzhou season-opener on 28-29 October, an invitational round follows comprising a qualification race and a final at the 70^th running of the Macau Grand Prix on 11-12 November, before two more triple-header championship events at former Malaysian Grand Prix venue Sepang International Circuit on 25-26 November and 2-3 December.

The entry for the Macau invitational event is proving particularly fascinating, with drivers from all over the world – some as young as 15 years old – attracted by competing with the reinvigorated championship on the legendary Guia street circuit. And there’s even a two-time winner of the Macau Grand Prix itself in the entry list. 

Italian giant Prema Racing, one of the top teams in F4 throughout the category’s decade of history, brings four cars, three of them entered under the celebrated Macau Grand Prix name of Theodore Racing. Among the SJM Theodore PREMA Racing line-up is British talent Arvid Lindblad, the Red Bull Junior who finished third in this year’s Italian F4 Championship, together with another English talent in the form of Freddie Slater. Despite not having become eligible to race in F4 until his 15^thbirthday in August, Slater already has a pole position to his credit in the hotly contested Euro 4 series. The third driver to race under the banner of the late Theodore ‘Teddy’ Yip is Charles Leong, two-time Formula 4 Macau Grand Prix winner in 2020 and 2021. Joining them under the Prema banner is Rashid Al Dhaheri – the Emirati was 10^th in Italian F4 this year.

Another powerhouse team from Europe is French squad R-ace GP. Hadrien David was French F4 champion in 2019, and went on to become runner-up in the 2021 Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine. He steps back into the cockpit of an F4 car for Macau alongside fellow Frenchman Raphaël Narac, who has been racing this season in the Italian series.

From Australia comes AGI Sport, a leading contender in the country’s F4 series in the mid to late 2010s, which enters Jack Beeton, who has predominantly raced in Italian F4 this year.
Japan is also represented with some intriguing entries. The country’s Miki Koyama, best known for her exploits in the all-female W Series, will line up with the Super License team, while BMAX Racing Team enters team principal DRAGON, who has contested the Macau Formula 3 Grand Prix in the past.

Pinnacle Motorsport has announced India’s Kai Daryanani, a regular in British F4 this season, with further drivers to be confirmed.

Two more drivers to have focused on Europe this season are entered by BlackArts Racing. Bianca Bustamante from the Philippines has been a race winner in the new, all-female F1 Academy, and she is now part of the McLaren F1 junior programme, while Indian Jaden Pariat contested some British F4 rounds.

Macau’s own Tiago Rodrigues impressively leads the Chinese F4 Championship, and he takes his first steps into a second-generation F4 car with Asia Racing Team, joined by fellow Macau driver Marcus Cheong, China’s Kevin Xiao plus Enzo Yeh from Chinese Taipei. Ethan Ho represents Team KRC, while there are two all-Hong Kong line-ups: CHAMP Motorsport brings Chui Ka Kam plus female racer Vivian Siu Wing Man; H-Star Racing has entered Lau Siu Wa and Thomas Leung Chin Pang.

While several of these drivers will also be in action for the opening round of F4 SEA, they will be joined on the grid at Zhuzhou by some more Chinese talents.

Jiang Fukang was a star when he contested a one-off round of Chinese F4 this year, winning a race at the Zhuhai opener. He will compete at Zhuzhou for R&B Racing alongside Wang Zhongwei. Shimo Zhang, meanwhile, has appeared in some late-season F4 outings in Europe and will be on the grid with H-Star Racing, which is also running Kwok Waihang. Meanwhile, Zhang Moki joins the field with Asia Racing Team.

2023 F4 SOUTH EAST ASIA CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA 

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