Pirelli has been appointed as official tyre supplier to the Formula Regional European Championship. This new series bridges the gap between Formula 4 – at the grass roots level of motorsport – and the Formula 3 International Championship, which replaces GP3 on the Formula 1 calendar this year.

The Formula Regional European Championship has been created as the FIA’s regional Formula 3 series for Europe, although it is not officially called Formula 3 as this name is now reserved for international use. The move follows similar series that were launched last year in America (also supplied by Pirelli) and Asia.

The recently-created Formula Regional European Championship will use the same Tatuus car and Alfa Romeo-derived Autotecnica engine as the Asian series, which is also seen in the new W Series, aimed at women. The Formula Regional European championship is promoted by WSK – a well-known karting promoter – and the Automobile Club d'Italia, as is the case for the Italian Formula 4 series, which is already supplied by Pirelli.

The Formula Regional European Championship also shares a large part of its eight- round calendar with the Italian Formula 4 series, although the opening race is a stand-alone event at Paul Ricard in France from April 12-14. In total, five rounds of the series are held on Formula 1 circuits – underlining the ambitions of Formula Regional European to nurture the next generation of grand prix stars. Three races as well as two qualifying and free practice sessions will take place during each weekend, maximising track time and experience. Winning the championship will also help young drivers gain FIA superlicence points, giving them a further boost towards the very top.

The tyres used will be the tried and trusted P Zero compounds that Pirelli has specifically developed for this formula, enabling young drivers to master the tyre skills they will need as they progress further up the career ladder. The Italian tyre firm has signed a three-year agreement with the new championship, up to the end of the 2021 season.

As a result, Pirelli tyres can take a young driver all the way from the grass roots of the sport to Formula 1, with Formula 4 leading to the Formula Regional European championship, then Formula 3 followed by Formula 2 en route to the top.

Pirelli’s head of car racing Mario Isola commented: “A key philosophy of Pirelli has always been to support young drivers and give them the opportunity to progress their careers into the future. The Formula Regional European Championship provides a logical step between Formula 4 and Formula 3, both of which we already supply, with our latest agreement helping to provide consistency for young drivers along with the chance to learn, as they make their way up towards the pinnacle of the sport.”

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