The inaugural BRDC Formula 4 Championship will be broadcast on free-to-air television in 2013 after series organisers MSV secured a highlights deal with ITV.
Created by former grand prix driver Jonathan Palmer’s MotorSport Vision (MSV), the new championship has been created to help young drivers in their attempts to bridge the gap between junior single-seater formulae and a potential career in Formula 1.
An hour-long show will be screened one week after each of the eight events in a prime-time Sunday evening slot on ITV4 and in high-definition on ITV4 HD.
Each of the 24 identical competing cars in the series has been built by Van Diemen founder Ralph Firman’s RFR concern and have been designed to offer a new low-cost route into professional single-seater racing in the UK.
The cars, which will be known as MSV F4-013, will be powered by the cost effective 2-litre Ford Duratec engine, developing 175bhp and speeds in excess of 130mph.
ITV4 will feature the all best action from the F4 series throughout its debut season, with each highlights programme featuring all three races together with pre-race build up, podium celebrations and post-race interviews.
In addition, each show will place the spotlight on the young drivers participating in the championship, with extensive profile features that will be filmed away from the track.
Each ITV4 programme will be fronted by respected motorsport presenter Louise Beckett, while rising talent Jack Nicholls will voice the commentary and shoot profile features on at least 16 of this year’s F4 drivers.
Louise has many years of TV experience working in major international championships, including FIA World Touring Cars on Eurosport, plus the Intercontinental Rally Challenge and A1GP.
Jack meanwhile is best known for his work on the FIA GT and FIA Formula Two Championships. He has also commentated on Formula Renault 3.5 for Eurosport, and at London 2012 worked on the Olympic World Feed covering hockey, basketball, water polo, handball and volleyball.
Hayfisher Productions, one of the UK’s leading independent film and television production houses who specialise in motorsport TV, will film and produce the programmes.
Louise Beckett said: “It’s a great honour to be part of the new BRDC Formula 4 Championship and I am very pleased to be hosting the programme.
“British motorsport needs an affordable championship to encourage our young talent to pursue their ambitions and hopefully bring us more British Formula 1 champions in the future.
“The season ahead looks fantastic so make sure you watch ITV4 to catch all the coverage and see some up and coming stars of the future!”
Jack Nicholls said: “Single seater racing in the UK has been struggling recently, so the prospect of a full grid of brand new cars taking to the track at Silverstone in April will be a very welcome sight.
“Personally, I’m looking forward to shooting the driver features and allowing our audience to really get to know the young F1 hopefuls.
“The prospect of great racing and in-depth features will give F4 fantastic national coverage of which I’m very proud to be involved with.”
Each episode will also feature guest appearances by leading motorsport personalities and past and present F1 drivers, including Mark Blundell and current BRDC President Derek Warwick.
Every BRDC F4 highlights programme will be available to view on the ITV website and mobile devices via the ITV Player following broadcast on ITV4.
Niall Sloane, director of ITV Sport, said: “ITV4’s coverage of this championship gives our viewers the opportunity to see the cream of young British single seater driving talent in action in an increasingly important competition and get to know more about them off the track as well.
“This is another welcome addition to ITV4’s portfolio of motorsports coverage.”
MSV Chief Executive and former grand prix driver Jonathan Palmer said: “ITV4 is already established as one of the UK’s leading channels for motorsport coverage, screening British Touring Cars, British Superbikes and the DTM German Touring Car Championship to big audiences.
“We’re delighted to add BRDC F4 to this prestigious list, and to secure a prime-time Sunday evening broadcast.
“Our objective from the outset was that the BRDC Formula 4 Championship should become the series of choice for those moving to single seater racing on the path to F1.
“With a full grid of 24 cars already confirmed and this announcement today of a superb TV package on ITV4, we are well on target to achieve that ambition.
“We’ve carefully selected a presenting team that provides an exciting blend of youth, expertise and great enthusiasm for the sport and I’m sure both Louise and Jack will do a superb job for us.
“We intend to set new standards for TV coverage at this junior level and a highlight of every episode will be a special guest appearance by a prominent motorsport personality, the majority from the world of Formula 1.”
Richard Hay from Hayfisher Productions commented: “Jonathan Palmer and the BRDC look to have created exactly what the sport needed with the BRDC F4 Championship and I am delighted that MSV has chosen Hayfisher to produce the programmes for ITV4.
“We have been televising motorsport for more than 30 years and are probably looking forward to the first race as much as the drivers!”
The 2013 BRDC Formula 4 Championship will comprise 24 races across eight events.
The season will commence at Silverstone on April 27/28, racing on the Grand Prix circuit, with the following round at Brands Hatch Indy supporting the prestigious DTM German Touring Car Championship.
BRDC F4 will then support British F3/GT at Snetterton on the 300 configuration in June.
Further events will take place at Oulton Park and the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit before second visits to Silverstone and Snetterton, joining other successful MSVR championships.
The final round will take place at Donington Park at the end of September.
For more information on the series visit: www.formula4.com
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