British Formula 4 to adopt new onboard safety system for 2022

Motorsport UK is delighted to confirm the F4 British Championship certified by FIA will adopt TOCA’s new onboard signalling system onto its cars from the start of next season.


The latest in cockpit safety electronics are being introduced across the British Touring Car Championship and TOCA support series from 2022 and British F4 is one of the first categories to commit to the new equipment.



The state-of-the-art visual display is a major new safety feature that will give Race Control a direct link to drivers, warning them of any yellow flag zones or red flag stoppages. Appropriately coloured LED lights will instantly appear on the instrument panel in the driver’s cockpit as an additional support to the traditional marshalling flags and light panels located around the circuit.



In addition to alerting drivers to incidents on track, the new race control linked signalling system will also warn competitors about exceeding track limits and the deployment of the Safety Car. Detailed dashboard displays will be able to highlight the sectors in which yellow flags appear in addition to the full range of marshalling flags that will also identify a car’s race number, for example black and orange
flag displayed next to Car #13.



This new initiative to help on-track safety is another important feature of the revamped British F4 Championship that will adopt the new Gen2 Tatuus chassis in 2022 featuring the rigorous FIA-mandated halo the first time this safety device will have appeared at this level in the UK.



Developed by Timing Solutions Ltd, the long-term timing and scoring partner of the TOCA package, the innovative system is set to be incorporated across the many championships that support the British Touring Car Championship. The new electronics will also enable Race Control to track the real time position of every car allowing the capability to monitor infringements such as speeding in the pit lane, overtaking under the Safety Car or not slowing sufficiently for yellow or red flags.



“This is an important step in the advancement of safety for drivers competing in both the British F4 Championship and the wider TOCA support categories,” said Hugh Chambers, CEO of Motorsport UK, the governing body for motorsport in the UK and promoter for the F4 British Championship from 2022.



“We are entirely supportive of this innovative complementary development that is enhancing the safety of those on and around circuits," said Chambers. "These onboard visual signals are also crucial in introducing young drivers to the same safety systems they will encounter as they progress through the single seater ladder towards Formula 1.




 Being actively part of this new initiative will allow Motorsport UK to see first-hand how the technology develops and the broader role that such systems have to play in circuit safety going forward.”




Tracy Novak- Motorsport UK