You'll have to be at least a little crazy to try the stunts they do on the Formula Off Road trucks. It really is off road racing motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles given full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses under the hood.
Formula Off Road is by many considered to be the most extreme form of 4x4 off-road racing. It started in Iceland and has gained popularity in northern Europe, especially the Nordic countries.
Formula Offroad is a popular type of motorsport where drivers compete in precision driving through steep hills and extreme terrain with specially modified 4x4 trucks.
Check out the 4x4 Events Calendar for dates and places!
Formula Offroad is a unique type of motorsport that was invented in Iceland. In hope to bring in more money for the Icelandic rescue teams, the teams started to show their 4x4 trucks in action tackling some rough Icelandic terrain. It soon became more and more of a competition between the teams, and soon the teams where building specially made vehicles for just this purpose. The Formula Offroad motor sport was born.
There are currently two competing classes in Formula Offroad.
Modified Class - Shape of the body must resemble a mass-produced vehicle. Hood, side body panels, front and rear fenders must be installed and resemble the original vehicle.
Unlimited Class - The major league class is the ‘Unlimited’
The difference between the classes is mainly in the tires. Unlimited class 4x4s are allowed to use more aggressive paddle tires (used for sand-drag racing) that dig into the ground during hops and short flights.
The two classes compete on similar tracks. For both classes the length of body must at least cover the wheelbase of the vehicle.
In Iceland there is also the Street Legal Class where the 4x4 trucks are required to pass regular inspection.
Formula Offroad takes place in closed areas with no road traffic. Rock or gravel mines, for example, which are usually outside towns, are often used because they offer the right kind of terrain. Mostly the surface is driven just as it is but occasionally it’s modified slightly for spectator experience. The tracks themselves are pretty makeshift, marked by old tires, flags or sticks. On the day of the event the race director leads the drivers through the tracks on foot and explains how they are laid out and how they are supposed to be driven.
Each driver usually has a small team of assistants. They help out by preparing the 4x4 and making repairs as needed during competition. The trucks needs to be large enough to carry the driver. They also need a "mobile garage", welding shop and spare parts to make the repairs during competition.
As spectacular as Formula Offroad appears, there have been very few serious accidents. The drivers are protected by a roll cage, a full-face helmet with HANS neck support, five-point harnesses, a homologated bucket seat, flame resistant overalls, shoes and gloves, special arm restrainers and other safety measures that are required by the rules.
Spectators can sometimes be pelted with sand, earth or small stones kicked up by the big shovel-tires.
Formula Offroad is a real test in off-road driving on closed tracks. Each competition is held in accordance with the FIA International Sporting Code (ISC) and usually has 6 to 8 tracks. On each track a driver can earn up to 350 points depending on how far he goes or if he gets any minus points for faults. Each driver has to go as far as he can and gets no help from the team during the attempt. Stopping incurs a penalty of 10 points. Backing up is allowed but incurs a 40-point penalty. Touching a marker is 20 penalty points. Driving over a marker is 50 points or 100 if only one wheel is still on the course. Faults at the final gate incur only half as many points. Timed courses give points according to time. First place = 350 points. Other drivers are deducted 1 point for every 1/10 th of a second slower than the fastest time. The highest total number of points wins.
See here for the official FIA/NEZ Formula Offroad regulations.
For championship tournaments the winner gets 20 points, 15 are awarded for second place, 12 for the third and less for every subsequent place. There’s often also a special award given for the most spectacular driving in each class.
The Formula Offroad style 4x4 is highly modified. A typical example usually has the following modifications:
If you happen to be in Iceland, Norway, Sweden and sometimes Finland during the season I can guarantee you'll have a great time experiencing the wild action!
Craziest 4x4 offroad racing on the planet? You'll have to be at least a little crazy to try the stunts they do on the Formula Off Road trucks. It really is off road racing motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles given full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses […]
Final two rounds of the Formula Off Road World Cup events in 2006 are held in Skien in Norway. Skien is a beautiful small town around 200 km south-west of Oslo. Today is the fifth World Cup event and also serves as part of the Norwegian competition as well as the Nordic countries competition.
Extreme Off Road - Off Road motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles taken to the extreme with full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses under the hood.
Formula Off Road - Hella World Cup 2006 Formula Off Road World Cup starts of close to the small town of Hella in the south part of Iceland. This is the first of two competitions in two days of the World Cup. The second day will also serve as the Icelandic Championship.
Amazing stunts of the Formula Offroad masters in the Icelandic Formula Off Road Championship. Hella offers some of the best action for the Formula Off Road fans. Crazy jumps and rollovers along with unbelievable river crossing and mud slinging!
Formula Off Road 2007 - Off Road motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles taken to the extreme with full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses under the hood.
Formula Offroad 2012 Calendar - The Formula Offroad calendar for the 2012 season.
Formula Offroad 2013 Calendar Can you imagine experiencing an event like this? -If there is one offroad event you should not miss, it is coming to a Formula Offroad race. This year the competitions are held in Norway, Sweden and Iceland.
Formula Off Road - Finland 2006 - The third and fourth Formula Off Road World Cup events in 2006 are held in Finland. The events take place in a rock mine close to Kangasala and Tampere some 200 km north of Helsinki. Today is the first competition of the two.
Formula Off Road - Norway 2006 - 2 - The second day of competition in Norway is the sixth and final round in the World Cup. It also serves as the final Nordic Countries Cup and the Norwegian Cup. After seeing all the dangerous rollovers yesterday it is decided to lower the risk by making the harder parts of the tracks lower in the slopes.
Formula Offroad Reykjanes - The sixth and final Icelandic Formula Off Road championship is held at Stapafell. Stapafell is a small mountain on the Reykjanes peninsula just west of Keflavik airport. The sun is shining but the wind is stiff and it feels cold. The tracks are varied and look hard but not impossible.
Formula Off Road - Finland 2006 - The third and fourth Formula Off Road World Cup events in 2006 are held in Finland. The events take place in a rock mine close to Kangasala and Tampere some 200 km north of Helsinki. Today is the first competition of the two.
Final two rounds of the Formula Off Road World Cup events in 2006 are held in Skien in Norway. Skien is a beautiful small town around 200 km south-west of Oslo. Today is the fifth World Cup event and also serves as part of the Norwegian competition as well as the Nordic countries competition.
Formula Off Road - Off Road motor sport at its best. Most powerful specially modified 4x4 vehicles taken to the extreme with full throttle and nitro. Hundreds upon hundreds of horses under the hood.
4x4 Off Roads is a community united in the love of 4x4 off road trucks and Jeeps. Our mission is to help offroaders enjoy their 4x4 trucks and experience amazing 4 wheeling adventures.
