After nine seasons with the current Formula 4 car, the next generation is ready with strong performance, high safety and lower running costs to secure the future of Scandinavian formula racing.
When the Danish Formula 4 class was created in 2017, it was based on the first generation of the FIA Formula 4 concept. While Formula 4 continues to enjoy great success internationally, the concept’s financial framework is no longer sustainable for the majority of young drivers in the Scandinavian countries.
Therefore, Aquila Racing Cars, in collaboration with Nordic 4, has developed Aquila Formula Nova; a car tailor-made for national and Nordic formula racing.
Aquila Formula Nova is based on a traditional tube frame construction fitted with a three-cylinder motorcycle engine with around 135 horsepower for a final weight of 350-400 kilos plus driver. The finished car will be faster than current Formula 4 cars and will be significantly cheaper to own and operate than a newer Formula 4 car. Designed with a Halo, the Aquila Formula Nova also meets modern safety standards.
– Talent development and formula racing go hand in hand, and with the current generation reaching the end of its lifespan, it was important for us to find a suitable platform for future formula drivers. When we failed to find a suitable car on the international market, we decided together with Dan Suenson and Aquila Racing Cars to create a new formula car that young drivers can develop in, while being more financially attractive than other formula cars,” says Nordic 4 promoter Alex Stubberup Frederichsen.
Manageable for mechanics and bank accounts
Economy has been a major focus throughout the development phase, and the balance between performance, reliability and economy has required creative thinking and sacrifices along the way. The chassis is built as a tubular frame and can be serviced without special tools, the engine is a solid and proven three-cylinder motorcycle engine, and many smaller parts are taken from existing industrial products. The result is a car that is easier to service and more economically manageable.
Dan Suenson is the man behind several notable race cars over the past 20 years. First the Aquila FD1/FZ1 for the then Formula Ford class, which Kevin Magnussen and others drove to victory at home and abroad. Then came the Aquila CR1 prototype racer, which has impressed drivers and – especially – competitors around the world. Most recently, he is behind the Aquila Synergy, a budget-friendly racing car for the youngest racers, which is enjoying great success in Sweden. He is humble about the challenge of creating the car for the Nordic 4 class of the future:
– “The ambition has been clear: to create a car that is as good as the current ones, but much more affordable. I’m proud of the result. Aquila Formula Nova will be a modern and accessible formula car that can ensure that Danish drivers will continue to make their mark internationally,” says Dan Suenson.
The Aquila Formula Nova prototype is expected to complete its first test runs in the near future, and the first cars are scheduled to be ready for delivery by the end of the year.
