PARIS – The FIA single-seater ladder toward the top level of motorsport was strengthened Saturday with the announcement that the Formula Regional European Championship will merge with Formula Renault Eurocup to create an all-new series.

The combined championship will be known as the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine and will be certified by the FIA.

The new championship will see the organizer, the Automobile Club d’Italia, together with its commercial arm ACI Sport as the promoter, partner with legendary French sports car brand Alpine to create a single benchmark for young drivers graduating from their first experience of single-seater racing in national FIA-certified Formula 4 championships.

The new championship will not only afford competitors the opportunity to race in machinery that boosts their understanding of car set-ups, vehicle dynamics and team working, but will also give competitors the chance to race internationally.

The Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine will feature 10 events of two races per weekend, with three events set to take place in Italy and seven more being staged across Europe.

The grid of a maximum of 36 cars in maximum three-car teams, and the possibility of an additional fourth in case of a female driver, will be powered by 1.8-liter Renault engines, feature chassis by Tatuus and Pirelli tires.

New cars will be built in the racing department at the Alpine factory of Dieppe.

“The establishment of a new Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, certified by FIA, is another significant step in refining the pathway to the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1,” said FIA President Jean Todt. “It joins the Formula Regional Championships in the Americas, Asia and Japan to form a global platform for young racing talent to progress their motor sport career. I would like to thank Renault, Alpine and ACI for making this merger possible and I look forward to seeing the champions of the future racing in what is sure to be a thrilling new championship.”

“This merger and the creation of the Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine, certified by FIA, adds even greater focus to the FIA’s pathway to the top levels of motor racing,” added Stefano Domenicali, President of the FIA Single Seater Commission. “A consolidation of Formula Regional in Europe means that graduates from Formula 4 can learn and grow in a strongly supported, robust and, perhaps most importantly, a competitive environment. Formula Regional European Championship by Alpine – certified by FIA gives them a clear next step on the ladder towards their dream of one day racing in Formula 1.”