FIA adds F4 World Cup event for the first time

The Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) announced that the 2025 Macau Grand Prix (Macau GP) will feature one more FIA World Cup event than ever before.
The FIA World Motor Sport Council, the global governing body for motorsport, has approved the creation of the Formula 4 World Cup and confirmed the continuation of the FR (Formula Regional) World Cup and GT World Cup events.

In a press statement, the FIA noted that the Macau GP, organized and promoted by the Macau Grand Prix Organizing Committee and the Automobile General Association Macao-China (AAMC), is one of the most prestigious events in world motorsport, adding that, in recent years, the addition of FIA World Cups across different categories (F3, GT, and FR) has proven to be very successful, ensuring that the event remains at the forefront of the international motorsport calendar.

“Following the first running of the FIA FR World Cup in Macau last year, the event solidifies its historical position as the ultimate test for junior drivers before they enter international competition. FR occupies the level of the progression pathway that was called, in years past, F3. There are five FR championships taking place throughout 2025. As has been the case for decades, the Macau Grand Prix offers an opportunity for drivers and teams at the top of their regional class to come together for a one-event shootout on arguably the most challenging circuit in the world,” the FIA said.

“The FIA Formula 4 concept was first introduced over ten years ago and has gone on to be one of the biggest success stories in junior motorsport history – with National Sporting Authorities (ASNs) organizing no fewer than 13 different national series within the FIA’s framework of technical and sporting regulations,” it added.

The FIA also added that the F4 World Cup will offer the top drivers (from the different national series) an opportunity to race in a global field of F4 talent.

Concurrently, they announced they would hold a “rigorous driver selection process, with only the most talented young drivers allowed to compete.”

As expected, the organizer of the F4 Chinese Championship will be in charge of technical support for the FIA F4 World Cup. In contrast, the FR Middle East Championship organizers will continue to oversee the FR World Cup.

According to the FIA, the idea of bringing more junior-level events to Macau is not restricted to the Macau GP.

The Federation announced that this initiative also aims to bring more karting academy students from Macau and the wider region to attend the event in an observational capacity, providing them with the opportunity to experience a car racing event and gain valuable insights for the next step of their own careers.

The new event is also said to “undoubtedly benefit the local drivers from Macau,” who can compete in a full range of international events – Karting, Formula 4, and Formula Regional in Macau.

On creating the F4 World Cup, FIA Single-Seater Committee President Emanuele Pirro said, “Macau is an essential part of the education of a young driver, and we have a duty to protect its legacy and its future. There are so few challenges like the Macau Grand Prix left that we felt it was the right moment to introduce the FIA F4 World Cup. It will allow the best drivers coming from the national level to learn what it takes to drive the Guia Circuit in an F4 car, which is a bit more forgiving than an FR car, so that when they come back in one or two years for the FR World Cup, they are ready to show what they can do.”

“It’s exciting that the Macau Grand Prix is growing into a real motorsport festival, with our single-seater races, the GT World Cup, and Touring Cars. The 2025 edition is already shaping up to be very special. We’re also working hard to make sure that we use the opportunity to inspire and educate the young karting drivers from the region – the potential for growth and development across China and the Asia-Pacific region is massive as we push to grow motorsport participation,” Pirro also noted,

Also on the same matter, the chairman of the AAMC, Chong Coc Veng, added, “We are happy to see FIA holding an F4 World Cup at the Guia Circuit. It is an opportunity for young drivers in the region to look for their development pathway from international karting events to single-seater F4 and FR, and become world champions in the future.”

The Macau Grand Prix will be held for the 72nd time from November 13 to November 16.