Teams from 9 different nations will converge in Imatra, Finland to compete in the opening round of the 2017 UIM F4 World Championship this weekend.

The local Finnish teams will form the largest number of entries from the 9 nations.

2016 World and European Champion, Juho-Matti Manninen and new team-mate Magnus Sederholm will be campaigning Lonnberg built and designed boats.

They have been busy in the last few weeks testing and perfecting their set-up’s and we are told, will be welcoming a new guest driver to the Motor-Mix team this season.

Fellow Fin Lauri Landen of Landen Racing took delivery of a Gen2 Molgaard hull in the winter and early testing results have indicated that he is most definitely on the pace.

Tukka Lehtonnen has purchased a new BaBa hull from the Italian genius that is Massimo Roggiero.

The 2016 UIM F4 Bronze Medalist, Kalle Viippo, will also be in action this weekend.

New drivers to F4 this year are 2016 World GT30 Champion Sander Sarlin from Estonia in Erko Aabrams Racing and Poland’s Marcin Szymczyk.

3 Brits will be taking part, Ben Morse, who finished 3rd in the 2016 UIM European F4 Championship at Stewartby, Sam Whittle in his new BaBa hull and Ben Jelf in his first full year of International F4 racing.

F4 World Championship ‘regulars’ include, Sweden’s Morgan Jernfast with his continued support from sponsors Veidec Racing, Denmark’s Sebastian Haugaard and Latvia’s Nikita Lijcs

F4 World Championship Dates 2017

Imatra, Finland 17th and 18th June

Stewartby, Great Britain 1st and 2nd July

Kupsikis, Lithuania 19th and 20th August

Photo: Fred Emeny