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The Bend Motorsport Park will play a critical role in the second iteration of Formula 4 in Australia next year.
Four of those rounds will be on Aussie soil and two of them at Shell V-Power Motorsport Park, nee The Bend, before a finale at Sepang in Malaysia.
However The Bend’s involvement in the revival of F4 in Australia isn’t limited to hosting the first two rounds and the pre-season testing.
The circuit will effectively be the home of F4 in Australia, with the cars – owned by Top Speed – to be housed at The Bend between rounds.
The Bend owner Sam Shahin has also played a big part in getting the series off the ground, and is confident the category will flourish this time, after proving to be a flop during its first stint in Australia between 2015 and 2019.
“I was very pleased when Top Speed reached out to me back in early 2023 to look into the proposition on holding a round of the Lamborghini Super Trofeo Series at The Bend,” Shahin told Speedcafe.
“It was one of the best events that has graced our wonderful facility in June of this year, it was absolutely from the top shelf.
“They’re a terrific organisation to deal with, a highly-professional outfit, very impressive operationally, most in tune with the customers both on the track and off the track, and bring a breath of fresh air into the Australian motorsport landscape, to be honest.
“And as the rights holder for running Formula 4 in Asia, they were keen to explore the return of Formula 4 in Australia.
“The wounds of Formula 4 in Australia are still quite fragile around the country. So I had great interest in exploring the opportunity to be part of bringing Formula 4 back to Australia, but only if Top Speed was absolutely 100 per cent committed to the series in the long term.
“They really showed the tremendous and advanced consideration for what it will take to run a successful Formula 4 series in Australia and as a venue and as a proponent of motorsport in Australia, The Bend has taken the opportunity to play, I’d like to say, a major part in bringing this very serious and necessary category to Australia.
“It plays a significant stepping stone for those that young aspiring racers that wish to progress their career in an open-wheel racing, so it is a terrific win for The Bend, and I think a sensational result for Australian motorsport in general.”
According to Shahin, The Bend’s European-style flowing layout will make it the perfect circuit for young drivers to train for a career overseas.
“Most aspiring open-wheel racers understand that at some point, they have to make a transition into Europe and European-style circuits,” he said.
“The characteristics of The Bend are a very fast, very flowing, very connected type of circuit. The corners are all connected and you need to exercise a great deal of precision to master circuits like that.
“It’s a terrific precursor for those that want to further their career in Europe to practice and master their craft at a stunning circuit like The Bend and it’s terrific to get that recognition from an international category rights owners when they are looking to bring series like F4 or Lamborghini Super Trofeo, that they think of The Bend first.”
Formula 4 Australia Certified by FIA kicks off at The Bend on May 4-5.
