Initial plans of having a Benelux F4 championship in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany melts as addition to the F4 NEZ championship.
This Dutch addition finds itself with the circuit of Zandvoort added to the SMP championship and MP Motorsport fielding cars alongside Finnish squad Koiranen.
In 2015, the SMP championship ran in Russia, Finland and Estonia and Niko Kari won the championship.
Sander Dorsman, MP team director, comments:
“For Koiranen and SMP, the addition of the Netherlands was interesting. They wanted larger circuits and are now getting Zandvoort.”
“It is a strong championship; look how well the champion of this year, Niko Kari, is doing now. He has been included in Red Bull’s junior program and takes the next step of his career in European F3.
The initial idea of Dutch F4 is not abandoned yet as a Duch F4 Trophy will be formed with the two SMP rounds which will take place at Zandvoort and the F4 Festival in October which will take place at either Assen or Zandvoort.
“This will be something like the F3 Masters or the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, but for F4 cars”
“Cars from the NEZ, Dutch F4 and Spanish F4 – which we are also going to do – will be given priority, but of course participants from Germany, France and Italy are most welcome. We are aiming for 50 cars.”
If the circuit of Anderstorp in Sweden is also added into the championship, the two Finnish rounds Ahvenisto and Alastaro will not take place anymore.
SMP F4 2016 calendar:
19-20 March – Sochi, Russia (WTCC)
14-15 May – Zandvoort, Netherlands (Pinksterraces)
4-5 June – Zandvoort, Netherlands (TBC)
18-19 June – Sochi, Russia (TCR)
23-24 July – Moscow Raceway, Russia (DTM)
3-4 September – Anderstorp, Sweden (STCC)
10-11 September – Parnu, Estonia
TBC October – Zandvoort or Assen (F4 Festival)