Summarize

South African single seater racing is counting down to a revolution, when Investchem MSA4 takes over from Formula 1600 as the country’s premier wings and slicks class from Kyalami’s 12 April Blockbuster Extreme Festival. The bigger story however surrounds the mammoth effort that’s gone into building the new cars since the end of the Formula 1600 era at the end of October.

“The next era of the South African single seater kicks off at Kyalami next week, but the real story hinges around the effort that has gone into readying a full grid of new South African developed MSA4 cars in time for that first meeting,” series boss Ian Schofield explains. “It’s been a brilliant project, but it’s meant a seven day week for the team as we have literally worked around the clock to meet what once seemed an impossible deadline.

“Every member of the team, from the WCT Engineering staff to drivers, team mechanics and many more have put in the time, the elbow grease, and the effort to ensure we will have fourteen cars on the grid at Kyalami. It’s not yet over, but we have more than half the cars running and shaking down, while the balance are approaching the end of the production line.“

Schofield himself shook the prototype MSA4 car down in September last year, since when that pilot car has been subjected to an intensive test and development program with all cars benefiting that input. The new MSA4 car not only looks far more contemporary, but it is safer, stronger, and considerably more advanced too. 

Powered by a downsized new turbocharged Volkswagen engine, the stronger, far safer, and completely re-engineered WCT Engineering-developed MSA4 cars are loosely based on the former Formula 1600 machines. The new MSA4 car is designed to race efficiently and competitively in South Africa and other emerging market single seater race series.

“A traditional Formula 4 car is based on a far more expensive to build and maintain carbonfibre monocoque chassis,” Ian Schofield explains. “Our MSA4 machine goes back to basics and is built around a sophisticated and completely redeveloped spaceframe chassis using the same materials in the manufacture of top class Dakar cars. MSA4 also features halo-inspired head protection and a survival cell similar to that used in Formula 1.” 

 

To further contain costs, the new MSA4 cars’ transmission, differential, all suspension components, brakes, front and rear wings, and several other components remain identical to the old F1600 cars. That has allowed existing racers and owners to utilise those components out of their older cars. MSA4 however adopts new ‘mini-F1’ bodywork and will run on slightly fatter slick tyres and new wider, centre lock wheels. 

“I’m sure that there are still a few sleepless nights ahead,” Ian Schofield concludes. “But there’s now light at the end of the tunnel, so keep it up lads, we are getting there. See you at Kyalami!”