Gerhard Berger and the FIA Singleseater Commission launched the FIA Formula 4 in March 2013.[1] The goal of the Formula 4 is to make the ladder to Formula 1 more transparent. Besides sporting and technical regulations, costs are regulated too. A car to compete in this category may not exceed €30,000 in purchase. A single season in Formula 4 may not exceed €100,000 in costs. The Italian Formula 4 was the first FIA Formula 4 championship to be launched. The Italian championship was launched by the ACI-CSAI on December 12, 2013.[2]
Italian race car constructor Tatuus was contracted to design and build all the cars.[4] Tatuus had also built all the cars for the Formula Abarth. The chassis is a monocoque made of carbon fibre.
The engine is a 1400cc Fiat-FPT.[5] This is the same engine used in the Formula Abarth between 2010 and 2013. It is detuned to fit the FIA Formula 4 regulations to 160 hp (120 kW), down from the original 180 hp (130 kW).