Formula Regional (FR) is an FIA-approved moniker for certified regional one-makeFormula Three championships with the concept being approved during theFIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in December 2017.[1] The first series under new regulations were launched inAsia andNorth America in 2018, followed byEuropean counterpart in 2019 andJapanese in 2020.[2][3][4][5] On 13 December 2022, the Toyota Racing Series was rebranded as theFormula Regional Oceania Championship.[6]
This step of theFIA Global Pathway ladder serves to close the performance gap betweenFormula 4 (160 bhp) and globalFormula 3 Championship (380 bhp), being powered by 270 bhp engines.[2][7]
Created under the nameRegional Formula 3 by the FIA within the Article 275 / Appendix J of the international sporting code,[8] the category had, at its beginning few championships having theF3 mention in their official title.
All of the category's championships certified by FIA got gradually rebranded by its commercial moniker "Formula Regional" in order to avoid confusion with previousFormula 3 regulations (pre-2018) and with the "International" Formula 3 (theFIA Formula 3 Championship andFIA Formula 3 World Cup). The category itself was formally renamed as Formula Regional in the 2024 technical regulations.[9]
Formula Regional cars were intended to represent a midpoint in performance between Formula 4 and FIA Formula 3 cars.
According to drivers who have driven in both series, Formula Regional cars are of similar weight to FIA Formula 3, but have much less downforce as well as less power.[10]
As a basis for comparison, at the 2024 Formula Regional race atCircuit de Spa-Francorchamps, the fastest race lap was 2:16.505,[11] while the fastest race lap in the FIA Formula 3 race meeting held at the same track in 2024 was 2:05.770.[12] The 2024 French Formula 4 Championship had a round at the same track; the fastest race lap recorded at that meeting was 2:22.539.[13]
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