The 2026 season of the Italian Formula 4 begins this weekend in Misano, with several news items that promise to make this the best edition of the competition, which is the oldest in the FIA F4 championship.
One of the most significant changes is the adaptation of the scoring system. Now, points will be awarded not only to the top ten drivers but also to those finishing in the top 15. The winner of each race will receive 30 points, while the second and third will obtain 26 and 22 points respectively, down to one point for the 15th place.
Likewise, the technical and sporting regulations have been reviewed, establishing that both teams and drivers can have a maximum of two power units for the entire season of 28 races.
With 48 vehicles registered, the meeting in Misano will feature four races, as those events where the grid exceeds the circuit’s capacity will consist of three qualifying races and one final reserved only for the top 36 drivers.
Calendar and format for the season
For the first time since 2017, the Italian F4 will compete exclusively in Italy. The championship will start in Misano and will continue at Vallelunga twelve days later for the second round. After a month’s break, the drivers will return to the track at the end of June in Monza, followed by a race in Mugello. The penultimate competition will be in Imola at the beginning of September, before returning to Misano to close the season in Mugello.
Featured participants
Driver Kean Nakamura-Berta from Prema, champion of both the Italian F4 and E4 in 2025, set a new record with 17 podiums and nine victories in a single season.
The opening grid in Misano will feature nearly 50 drivers, representing 13 different teams, combining veteran and rookie drivers seeking to make the jump to higher competitions. Among them are 20 drivers with little F4 experience, like debutant Christian Costoya from Prema. The latter made his competitive debut in the UAE4 with a first triumph and finished the championship in sixth place.
His teammate, Alp Aksoy, is another newcomer arriving in F4 after standing out in the WSK Euro Series in 2025. Sasha Bondarev, also from Prema, competes in his second season after winning a title in the UAE4 during the winter.
Van Amersfoort Racing will be the only team without rookies in its lineup, featuring prominent British driver Thomas Bearman, who seeks to repeat the success achieved in the British F4. This season, the grid will include three more British drivers, adding diversity to the spectacle of the Italian F4.
Additionally, US Racing leads the grid with seven cars, followed by Prema with six and other teams like PHM, Trident, Jenzer, and R-ace with five vehicles each. AS Motorsport and Real Racing will have one car each in the championship, while Maffi Racing and Alpha Racing will each have two units.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
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