Macau’s Guia Circuit is hosting the first World Cup for FIA Formula Regional (FR) cars, with representatives from FR Americas, Europe, Japan, the Middle East, and Oceania. Local racers Charles Leong Hon Chio and Rodolfo Avila believe the time has come for Formula Regional’s return to Asia, especially as rumours of a Formula Regional China series intensify.
Interestingly, Asia was among the first regions to embrace the Formula Regional concept. Despite using Formula Regional cars from its inception, the series was known as the F3 Asian Championship certified by the FIA for four years, until it was rebranded in December 2021. This change followed the FIA’s decision to discontinue F3 as a category, after which the series moved to the Middle East. Organised by Top Speed Shanghai, all competitors used the Tatuus F3 T-318 chassis powered by the turbocharged Alfa Romeo engine, which will also be in use at Macau.
“I believe it makes sense to have a regional championship in Asia,” says former Macau Grand Prix winner Charles Leong. “Perhaps there are fewer drivers from the region nowadays, but Asia remains a market that should not be overlooked.”
The success of Formula Regional Middle East, particularly during the Covid pandemic when travel was restricted in Southeast Asia, contributed to the decline of Formula Regional Asia. At the same time, Asian motorsport has stagnated somewhat, with no current regional single-seater competition. Top Speed Shanghai’s attempts to run a Formula Regional series in China, known as the Open Formula Challenge, also stalled in 2023, primarily due to a lack of entries.
“I believe this is partly due to the costs and the teams’ ability to participate, so it’s a combination of factors. However, I think Asia should still be a key focus,” says Charles Leong. “I believe it just needs the right timing for the regional programme to restart. Let’s see how things unfold in the future. I do hope there will be a championship in Asia again, as I think it could help develop the next generation of drivers from the region. It’s going to be a challenging and complicated process, but it’s worth pursuing.”
For Rodolfo Avila, Team Manager of Asia Racing Team, which runs Formula Regional cars in Mainland China, a Chinese or Asian series would make a lot of sense. “Single-seater racing is gaining momentum again in this part of the world. I’m confident that a well-organised series in China or Southeast Asia could attract drivers from both the region and other parts of the world. It would provide a perfect stepping stone for those currently involved in the F4 Chinese Championship, for example.”
The former British F3 and International Formula Master driver adds, “Today, Chinese and Asian teams have reached a level that is on par with those in the FIA FR World Cup. There is no reason why we shouldn’t be part of it.”
The first edition of the FIA FR World Cup takes place from 14–17 November, with two practice sessions and two qualifying sessions setting the grid for the Qualification Race, which in turn sets the final grid of the weekend for the ultimate honours – the Macau Grand Prix itself.
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