Soviet Formula 4

Words by Alexey Rogachev

Generally speaking, F4 was introduced in the USSR in 1964, demanding to use 500 cc engines. The next year the maximum engines capacity increased up to 750 cc, and in 1966....

Eventually, in 1968, the new F4 technical regulations appeared. Their main items were 350 cc engines capacity limit and 200 kg minimal weight limit. As most Soviet single-seaters, F4 cars were produced at the TARK factory in Tallinn, being called Estonia-15. They were equipped with Izh motorcycle engines which had 347 cc capacity and produced about 32 hp at 6000 rpm. The weight of an Estonia-15 was 214 kg. Some E15 cars reached 150 kph.

In 1970, E15 was slightly modified and received the new index (15M). The production of F4 cars was stopped in 1976 or 1977, and Soviet F4 championship was respectively discontinued - this happened two or three years later. F4 was also called F. Molodezhnaya - it means 'Junior' in rough translation, so it was destined mainly for young drivers. But, as a rule, a gifted young racing driver drove in F4 for one or two seasons, then he transferred to F3 or F1. But those who hadn't enough talent stayed in F4 and continued driving for another number of years. Given all that, in the late 1970s most F4 drivers were over thirty! This is why F4 championship was discontinued.

1967

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1964

(max 500 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Kaunas, 24/7-26/7

2. Leningrad, 1/8-2/8

Pos. Driver Car/Engine 1 2

1 M. Laiv (Tallinn) Estonia-3 IMZ

2 V. Beisans (Riga) n/a

3 V. Aksionaitis (Vilnus) n/a

1965

(max 750 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Kaunas, 13/8-16/8

2. Riga, 20/8-23/8

3. Tallinn, 27/8-30/8

Pos. Driver Car/Engine 1 2 3

1 J. Vinte (Riga) n/a

2 V. Tyagunenko (Riga) n/a

3 L. Lipovski (Lithuania) n/a

1966

(200-500 cc, 400 kg for 200 cc cars, extra 50 cc = extra 10 kg)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1 & 2. Leningrad

3 & 4. Kaunas

Pos Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Rnd 4

1 A. Abolkans (Riga) n/a 4 3 2 2

2 V. Tyagunenko (Riga) n/a 1 - 3 1

3 J. Vinte (Riga) n/a 2 1 - 4

1968

(max 350 cc, min 200 kg)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Riga, 24/7-29/7

2. Leningrad, 31/7-5/8

Pos Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2

1 M. Nymmik (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 1 1

2 P. Laansoo (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 5 2

3 R. Zukakishvili (Tbilisi) Estonia-15 Izh 2 5

4 P. Evstafiev (Riga) Estonia-15 Izh 6 3

5 E. Dzherbinov (Tashkent) Estonia-15 Izh 8 4

6 J. Adamson (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 4 9

1969

(max 350 cc, min 200 kg)

Points system: 10-7-5-3-2-1

Rounds:

1. Minsk, 22/5-26/5

2 & 3. Riga, 16/7-21/7 (two different tracks)

4. Leningrad, 24/7-28/7

Pos Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 Rnd 4 Pts

1 V. Generalov (Leningrad) Estonia-15 Izh 2 1 4 3 25

2 A. Vaino (Estonia) Estonia-15 Izh - 3 1 2 22

3 P. Laansoo (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 3 2 3 4 20

4 J. Adamson (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 1 - 2 5 19

5 V. Kiselev (Grozny) Estonia-15 Izh - 17 5 1 12

6 A. Veski (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 4 5 7 - 5

1970

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Minsk, August

Pos Driver Car/Engine

1 P. Laansoo (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh

2 A. Vaino (Estonia) Estonia-15 Izh

3 M. Lvov (Leningrad) Estonia-15 Izh

4 A. Veski (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh

5 V. Resetnieks (Latvia) Estonia-15 Izh

6 N. Kazakov (Moscow) Estonia-15 Izh

1971

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

1. Minsk, 4/6-6/6

2. Riga, 20/8-22/8

3. Tallinn, 27/8-29/8

Pos Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3

1 P. Laansoo (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 4 1 1

2 M. Reintam (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 1 4 2

3 J. Adamson (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh 3 3 15

4 E. Lindgren (Moscow) Estonia-15 Izh 5 8 9

5 V. Kiselev (Grozny) Estonia-15 Izh 2 - 6

6 E. Untera (Tallinn) Estonia-15 Izh - 6 3

1972

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Minsk

2. Riga

3. Tallinn

Pos Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3

1 E. Salm (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh 5 6 3

2 Yu. Shibanov (Leningrad) Estonia-15 Izh 7 1 10

3 E. Untera (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh 1 - 1

1973

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds: not available

Pos. Driver Car/Engine

1 E. Salm (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

2 I. Barda (Riga) Estonia-15M Izh

3 K. Tupe (Lithuania) Estonia-15M Izh

1974

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds: not available

Pos. Driver Car/Engine

1 T. Napa (Riga) Estonia-15M Izh

2 T. Teesalu (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

3 T. Asmer (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

4 I. Barda (Riga) Estonia-15M Izh

5 Yu. Shibaev (Leningrad) Estonia-15M Izh

6 Kh. Yurshevski (Riga) Estonia-15M Izh

1975

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1 & 2. Minsk

3 & 4. Riga

Pos. Driver Car/Engine Rnd 1 Rnd 2 Rnd 3 4

1 T. Asmer (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh 4 1 1 2

2 R. Sarap (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh 1 2 2 -

3 T. Napa (Riga) Estonia-15M Izh - 3 5 1

4 T. Teesalu (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh 2 - 6 3

5 A. Visockas (Vilnus) Estonia-15M Izh 3 5 26 13

6 V. Perenyuk (Leningrad) Estonia-15M Izh 5 6 - 8

1976

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds: not available

Pos. Driver Car/Engine

1 T. Asmer (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

2 E. Jurima (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

3 L. Tamsaar (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

4 R. Gudriks (Kandava) Estonia-15M Izh

5 V. Perenyuk (Leningrad) Estonia-15M Izh

6 T. Teesalu (Tallinn) Estonia-15M Izh

1980

(max 350 cc)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

1. Kiev, 29/5-2/6

Pos. Driver Car/Engine

1 J. Iva (Estonia) Estonia-15M Izh

2 A. Stals (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

3 E. Jurima (Estonia) Estonia-15M Izh

4 A. Nappus (Estonia) Estonia-15M Izh

5 A. Silis (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

6 Z. Alexandravicius (Lith.) stonia-15M Izh

1981

(max 350 cc, min 200 kg)

Points system: not available

Rounds:

?. Riga, 18/6-22/6

Pos. Driver Car/Engine

1 J. Oriste (Estonia) Estonia-15M Izh

2 A. Silus (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

3 Z. Alexandravicius (Lith.) Estonia-15M Izh

4 V. Shilenkov (Ukraine) Estonia-15M Izh

5 Ya. Lebedev (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

6 A. Berzins (Latvia) Estonia-15M Izh

Pos.	Driver	Car/Engine	1	2
1	M. Laiv (Tallinn)	Estonia-3 IMZ
2	V. Beisans (Riga)	n/a
3	V. Aksionaitis (Vilnus)	n/a

Pos	Driver	Car/Engine	Rnd 1	Rnd 2	Rnd 3	Rnd 4
1	A. Abolkans (Riga)	n/a	4	3	2	2
2	V. Tyagunenko (Riga)	n/a	1	-	3	1
3	J. Vinte (Riga)	n/a	2	1	-	4

Pos	Driver	Car/Engine
1	P. Laansoo (Tallinn)	Estonia-15 Izh
2	A. Vaino (Estonia)	Estonia-15 Izh
3	M. Lvov (Leningrad)	Estonia-15 Izh
4	A. Veski (Tallinn)	Estonia-15 Izh
5	V. Resetnieks (Latvia)	Estonia-15 Izh
6	N. Kazakov (Moscow)	Estonia-15 Izh