Ligier Junior Formula Championship Expands to Two Classes, Accepts Both Generations of Ligier JS F4
Charlotte – Ligier Junior Formula Championship (Ligier JFC) announced that it will expand to two classes beginning in 2026, accepting both the first-generation Ligier JS F4 car and a modified version of the second-generation Ligier JS F422 car to run side by side. With both cars eligible to race in Ligier JFC, teams or drivers owning the newer Ligier JS F422 will enjoy both increased flexibility and usage opportunities, as they’re able to compete in either Ligier JFC or Formula 4 United States Championship (F4 U.S.) with just a few simple parts changes. Regardless of which car they use, all drivers competing in Ligier JFC will have equal opportunity to stand on the podium and earn the championship-winning scholarship, as both classes will be recognized separately on race podiums and with year-end prizes.
“We’re excited for the opportunity that the Ligier JS F422 presents to parents for their young drivers to enter our open-wheel ladder, as a single car can now be used for both Ligier JFC and the FIA-certified F4 U.S.,” said Scott Goodyear, Race Director for both Ligier JFC and F4 U.S. “With eligibility across both championships, the car provides flexibility and value, while seamlessly bridging the progression to move up the ladder. I applaud Ligier for the thoughtful engineering behind detuning the JS F422 to ensure it competes on equal footing with the Gen. 1 car.”
The new Ligier JFC version of the Ligier JS F422 is available now from Ligier. For current owners to make their existing F4 U.S. car eligible for JFC competition, they would simply equip the car with a lower-horsepower ECU to reduce the power and give it parity with the Gen. 1 car, and change the rear-wing endplates. Last, but not least, Ligier continues development work on a muffler to provide significant sound reduction, which will be available to all competitors in the coming weeks.
The introduction of the JS F422 into Ligier JFC will allow teams and families to better amortize the car’s cost over multiple seasons and multiple championships, as a driver progresses up the open-wheel ladder. Drivers can enter Ligier JFC at age 14, and continue using the same engine and chassis as they move into the FIA-certified F4 U.S. Championship at age 15. Most importantly, the Ligier JS F422 car includes all of the latest FIA-standard safety mandates, including a halo.
“We’re excited to work with Ligier JFC to give owners of the Ligier JS F422 additional opportunities to race,” said Mo Murray, CEO of Ligier Automotive North America. “With a few simple modifications—swapping out to the lower-horsepower ECU and switching the endplates—the JS F422 will now be able to be utilized for Ligier JFC, giving its owners increased flexibility to go wherever the marketplace needs, and providing developing drivers the opportunity to use the same chassis and engine for multiple classes over multiple seasons. For this new application, we’ve done extensive testing, both on the chassis dyno and on the track, to ensure a reliable product, and everything has performed perfectly.”
With dual classes and champions, Ligier JFC will provide two drivers with scholarship opportunities, as champions are crowned both in the Gen. 2 Ligier JS F422 class and the Gen. 1 Ligier JS F4 class.
For the Gen. 2 Ligier JS F422 class, Ligier Automotive will award the championship-winning driver with a one-year lease of a Ligier JS F422 chassis and Ligier Storm Engine to be used in F4 U.S. in 2027. If they already own their car, they’ll receive the equivalent value of the lease in a Ligier parts credit for F4 U.S. the following season, as well as the required upgrade parts. In addition, the champion driver will also receive race event tires from Hankook Motorsports and F4 U.S. race entries from Parella Motorsports Holdings.
Meanwhile, the Gen. 1 Ligier JS F4 championship-winning driver will also receive a one-year lease of a Ligier JS F422 chassis and Ligier Storm Engine from Ligier Automotive to compete in F4 U.S. in 2027, race event tires from Hankook Motorsports, and F4 U.S. race entries from Parella Motorsports Holdings.
The 2026 Ligier JFC schedule includes 16 rounds at six different circuits. Opening the year with a pre-season test at NOLA Motorsports Park, March 23-24, the series then engages on a once-a-month cadence, with events at NOLA, Road America, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, New Jersey Motorsports Park, VIRginia International Raceway and Barber Motorsports Park. Prospective drivers looking to learn more about Ligier JFC should visit the series’ website, LigierJFC.com.