The FIA Formula 4 framework was announced by Gerhard Berger and the FIA Single Seater Commission in March 2013. The initiative aimed to create a more transparent and financially accessible route toward Formula 1, with strict cost controls underpinning the regulations. Car purchase prices were capped at €30,000 and total season budgets at €100,000, making the category significantly more affordable than existing junior single-seater formulae.
Spain was identified as a host nation for a second-phase Formula 4 championship, following the Italian F4 Championship and Formula 4 Sudamericana, which launched in 2014. The RFEDA announced the Spanish championship on 14 November 2014. Initial plans called for a 2015 launch, with French constructor Mygale contracted to design and build the cars. However, those arrangements did not materialise and the planned 2015 inaugural season was cancelled.
The championship was relaunched with Finnish promoter Koiranen GP taking responsibility for its organisation. With Koiranen at the helm, the series adopted the Tatuus chassis, Abarth turbocharged engines, and Hankook tyres — the same technical package used in the SMP F4 Championship, which Koiranen also promoted. This decision brought the Spanish championship into alignment with several other European Formula 4 series sharing common technical regulations.
The 2016 season marked the actual debut of the F4 Spanish Championship. Since then, the series has run annually, visiting circuits across Spain and occasionally venturing to venues elsewhere in Europe. Agrupación Deportiva F4 Spain subsequently took over as promoter.
The championship has used two generations of Tatuus-built cars. The original F4-T014 model, powered by a 1.4-litre turbocharged Abarth engine, was used from the 2016 season through 2021. From 2022 onward, the series transitioned to the updated second-generation Tatuus F4-T421, maintaining the same Abarth power unit. Both chassis are built from carbon fibre using a monocoque construction.
Beyond the overall drivers' and teams' championships, the series has supported a number of subsidiary classifications recognising specific groups of competitors. A Rookie Trophy category identifies and rewards the best-performing drivers in their first season of Formula 4 racing. A dedicated Female Driver Trophy provides a focused classification for women competitors, supporting diversity within the junior single-seater ladder. Additionally, the Galfer Trophy — named after the Spanish braking components manufacturer — offers a further competitive layer within the championship.
The F4 Spanish Championship has served as a development ground for drivers who subsequently progressed through the junior formula hierarchy. Several alumni have advanced to Formula 2, and from there a number have reached Formula 1. The progression pattern reflects the series' integration within the broader single-seater pathway recognised by the FIA.
Across its seasons, the F4 Spanish Championship has established itself as one of the competitively credible Formula 4 championships in Europe. Spain's motorsport infrastructure, which includes circuits such as the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and others with strong racing histories, provides a suitable backdrop for the championship. The series has benefited from consistent technical regulations, allowing teams and drivers to focus development effort on driver skill rather than machinery differentiation, in keeping with the original intent of the global Formula 4 framework.