FIA Single-Seater Director Nikolas Tombazis said: “This collaboration with iRacing is an important step for grassroots motor sport development. The virtual racing space is a key area for the FIA in its goal to double global participation in motor sport, both as a discipline in its own right and as a route into real-world competition. The next generation of racing drivers is already highly engaged in this arena, which removes many of the historical barriers to entry by being low-cost and easily accessible, opening up possibilities to increase diversity and engagement in new and emerging markets. Formula 4 Championships, Certified by FIA, represent the first step for drivers to move from karting to car racing, and to have a highly-respected industry leading platform in iRacing bringing this global framework online is fantastic news.”

“We are thrilled to have formalized this agreement with the FIA,” said iRacing president Tony Gardner. “The F4 platform has proven to be incredibly popular and exciting in both the real world and the virtual one, and we know that our members will benefit from the synergy between our two organizations. With many FIA national ASNs already running events through iRacing, this alliance will only further expand opportunities for the future stars of motor sport to get their start through sim racing. In addition to iRacing’s new FIA F4 Challenge, iRacing and the FIA are discussing additional eSport plans for the future.”

The FIA Formula 4 platform was announced in 2013 in advance of a 2014 debut, and has grown in popularity around the world as the ideal first step on the global open-wheel racing ladder. Featuring a diverse range of chassis and engine manufacturers, each F4 car is capped at 160 horsepower to ensure equal performance around the world. Formula 4 Championships, Certified by FIA, now take place across four continents have been established by FIA member organizations.

iRacing’s version of the FIA Formula 4 car benefits from the same level of analysis, detail, data, and testing as members have come to expect, while the genericized model allows for use by FIA member clubs worldwide without manufacturer conflicts. iRacing offers multiple public series featuring the FIA Formula 4 to its more than 200,000 active users, with options for both custom setups and fixed performance. Dozens of real-world FIA Formula 4 host circuits are already available on iRacing, with more to be added in future releases.

For more information on iRacing, visit www.iracing.com