Newly announced Mercedes junior Daniel Guinchard has joined McLaren’s Ugo Ugochukwu as a member of a Formula 1 academy programme ahead of the 2022 ROKiT F4 British Championship certified by FIA season.
Britain’s FIA Formula 4 series has long held a reputation as the globally recognised entry point to the FIA’s Single-Seater Pathway towards Formula 1 and is a proven training ground for the stars of tomorrow.
The UK’s blend of high-speed and technical venues offers the perfect apprenticeship to drivers looking to hone their race craft. Off track, the drivers have exceptional technical expertise and development resources afforded by seven of Europe’s most renowned junior single-seater teams.[DS1]
Six rising stars – among them Guinchard and Ugochukwu – have already confirmed their place on the grid for another action-packed 10-event, 30-race season, with more set to follow in the coming weeks.
Guinchard’s unveiling as a Mercedes junior comes a month after agreeing a deal to make his single-seater debut with Phinsys by Argenti, having taken an emphatic brace of titles in the Wera Tools British Karting Championships in 2021.
Ugochukwu, another graduate to rise through the karting ranks before choosing ROKiT British F4 as the ideal platform to further his development, was announced as a McLaren junior last year, and the young American continues to benefit from the legendary Woking team’s guidance.
The connection to Formula 1 has also been reflected in the DNA of the re-vamped series, with McLaren Racing set to offer an immersive opportunity for the 2022 champion to embed themselves within the team for the 2023 British Grand Prix, including access to both drivers and the engineering team.
This season marks a number of notable changes to the championship, not least the adoption of the new, second-generation Tatuus T-421, complete with a Halo safety feature, re-inforced side anti-intrusion panels and on-board safety signalling systems.
A switch to Abarth power and Pirelli control tyres will also give the engineers plenty to wrap their heads around, and teams have already begun their winter testing programmes with the new challenger across the country.
Beyond that, Donington Park, Leicestershire will host the opening three rounds of the 2022 season on 23-24 April.
