Spotlight on Middle East as formula for success returns in 2024

//  Season kicks off January 10 with pre-season test at Yas Marina

The eyes of the international motorsport world once again turn to the Middle East this January when the second season of the Formula Regional Middle East Championship certified by FIA (FRMEC) gets underway January 10, with a two-day, pre-season test at Yas Marina Circuit alongside the Formula 4 United Arab Emirates (F4UAE) Championship which enters its ninth season in 2024.

After an enormously successful 2023 season, the winning formula of the first two rungs on the FIA development ladder running side-by-side across a compact, cost-effective season held on FIA Grade 1 circuits returns to the region whose influence on international motorsport is increasing rapidly.



Commented Top Speed General Manager Davide De Gobbi: “With an international entry drawn from the Formula Regional and Formula 4 championships across the world, both FRMEC and F4 UAE provide the optimal benchmark against which young drivers can gauge their development. By hosting these championships, the Middle East has become the focus of the world of international junior single seater racing and a reputation as the place to identify the most promising young talent, while also continuing to quickly develop its own teams and drivers.”


 

Mercedes junior and one of the most exciting emerging talents in single seater competition today, Kimi Antonelli, won the inaugural FRMEC title earlier this year, while Australian Ferrari junior James Wharton was crowned 2023 F4 UAE champion after a closely-run title fight amongst a capacity entry. Both champions were entered by winning team Mumbai Falcons.

More than thirty cars are expected for FRMEC’s second season, with Evans GP, MP Motorsport, PHM Racing, Pinnacle Motorsport, Prema Racing, R-Race GP, R&B Racing, Sainteloc Racing and Excel Motorsport already committed.
 

Forty-plus drivers entered by ten teams are anticipated for the new F4 UAE season, with AGI Sport, Hitech Pulse-Eight, R2 Race Cavicel and Abu Dhabi-based team Yas Heat Racing joining six of the FRMEC squads.
 

The 2024 season gets underway with the pre-season test at Yas Marina on January 10 and 11. Each championship, both of which are eligible for FIA Super License points, is comprised of five rounds and 15 races, starting in Abu Dhabi on January 12, and ending at the Dubai Autodrome on February 18.