Why the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship made a difference beyond the track

A closer look at this series shows that its benefits stretch well beyond racing itself.

Raceteq spoke to F4 Saudi Arabian Championship Head of Commercial Pierre Herrenschmidt to find out more about this regional F4 series and its goals on and beyond the track.

This series began with two rounds held at the Bahrain International Circuit in October before travelling to Saudi Arabia for its final three rounds that were held at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit. The final round itself was also notable for its majority female grid.

“Overall, we had 20 drivers across the five rounds and, in the final race, we had eight females and six males racing,” says Herrenschmidt. 

He adds that this was a “great milestone” for the country, after Saudi Arabia fielded wildcard Farah AlYousef in the F1 Academy series at Jeddah in 2025. 

“And, so this year to have the F4 Championship then end with a grid, which is being reported to be the first mixed championship that has had more women than men, is an achievement that we're definitely very proud of,” says Herrenschmidt. 

F4 Saudi Arabia also held a Female Trophy in its final round. F1 Academy driver Nina Gademan took the Female Trophy honours.

“From our perspective, it's really not just about developing drivers on track,” adds Herrenschmidt.

The series also opens up opportunities for budding mechanics and engineers.  

Not only was title winner Kit Belovsky’s lead mechanic from Saudi Arabia, but Herrenschmidt adds: “We had two number-one mechanics this year who were Saudi Arabian, and then eight other mechanics working in the teams, and then two more Saudi Arabian engineers. 

“So really, what we're trying to do is use F4 as a platform to develop talent across numerous fields: journalism, photography, sponsorship sales, sponsorship management… We had marketing interns from a local university who wanted to specialise in motorsport, and we supported a female-fronted motorsport podcast.”

Herrenschmidt adds that a regional F4 series such as this is a great way for aspiring journalists to apply to cover a racing championship and gain experience that they can use to cover more widely-followed competitions.

“What F4 does is create that kind of friendly, welcoming platform where we give everyone the opportunity so that they can then follow their ambitions and dreams, and ultimately then cover this global portfolio we have in Saudi Arabia, of WRC, Dakar, F1, Extreme H, and more.” 

Furthermore, drivers in the Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship attend PR and media training workshops from October to December.

“We made a considerable investment on the social media side with livestreaming and coverage - and we're working on five mini documentaries highlighting the Saudi Arabians and female drivers in the championship,” adds Herrenschmidt. 

The series’s work is inspired by Aramco’s support of the STEM Racing Global initiative, in which students around the world run their own F1-style teams with miniature cars.

“Looking at Aramco's global sponsorship of STEM Racing, we really want to make sure that we're slotting into this ladder of opportunity.

“So, we had more than 80 former STEM Racing students work with our mechanics to gain hands-on experience in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. We also hosted workshop discussions with students from local engineering schools. Students are supported at each step of the way.”

F4 Saudi Arabia also ensures that engineers and mechanics working in the series are employed full-time. 

“We're ensuring that it's not just a six-week programme and then they disappear. We really want to invest and build on them. And I think with more time next year, we'll have a bigger crop and bigger opportunity to train and develop more people.” 

“In the future, we want to explore across multiple areas, whether it's fuel, composites, engines, how we can work together and use this platform in Saudi Arabia as a testing ground for Aramco’s future ambitions in energy and mobility”

Herrenschmidt adds that the Qiddiya Speed Park Track, which is currently under construction, is a consideration for F4 Saudi Arabia in the future.  

“Once the track's up and running, we'll definitely be looking to race there.  It's something that I think all Saudi drivers are excited about. We want young drivers from around the world to be at Qiddiya and it's definitely something we're looking forward to.”

All of this shows that, while a regional F4 series such as the 2025 Aramco F4 Saudi Arabian Championship might seem small in comparison to Formula 1, it can make a huge difference to aspiring motorsport engineers, mechanics, journalists, and students.