Formula Three - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or F3, is a class of open-wheel

Open wheel car

Open-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...

formula racing

Formula racing

Formula racing is a term that refers to various forms of open wheeled single seater motorsport. Its origin lies in the nomenclature that was adopted by the FIA for all of its post-World War II single seater regulations, or formulae. The best known of these formulæ are Formula One, Formula Two, and...

. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One

Formula One

Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...

drivers. Formula Three has traditionally been regarded as the first major stepping stone for F1 hopefuls—it is typically the first point in a driver's career at which most drivers in the series are aiming at professional careers in racing rather than being amateurs and enthusiasts. F3 is not cheap (a competitive seat in British F3 now costs around £

Pound sterling

The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...

400,000 and about £80,000 in Asia, for a year's racing), but is regarded as a key investment in a young driver's future career. Success in F3 can lead directly to more senior formulae such as a F2

FIA Formula Two Championship

-Chassis:Named after both Jonathan Palmer and Patrick Head, the Williams JPH1 chassis and survival cell is of carbon fibre composite monocoque construction. The car was designed to comply with 2005 FIA F1 Safety Regulations. Head protection conforms to the latest 2009 F1 standards...

and GP2

GP2 Series

The GP2 Series, GP2 for short, is a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecclestone also has the rights to the name GP1...

seat, or even a Formula One

Formula One

test or race seat.

History

Formula Three (adopted by the FIA

Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile

The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...

in 1950) evolved from postwar auto racing

Auto racing

Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...

, with lightweight tube-frame chassis

Chassis

A chassis consists of an internal framework that supports a man-made object. It is analogous to an animal's skeleton. An example of a chassis is the underpart of a motor vehicle, consisting of the frame with the wheels and machinery.- Vehicles :In the case of vehicles, the term chassis means the...

Motorcycle

A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...

engines (notably Norton

Norton (motorcycle)

Norton is a British motorcycle marque, originally from Birmingham, founded in 1898 as a manufacturer of "fittings and parts for the two-wheel trade". By 1902, they had begun manufacturing motorcycles with bought-in engines. In 1908, a Norton-built engine was added to the range...

s and JAP

JA Prestwich Industries Ltd

JA Prestwich Industries, was an English engineering company named after founder John Alfred Prestwich, which produced cinematographic equipment, internal combustion engines , and other examples of precision engineering.-History:J. A...

speedway). The 500 cc formula originally evolved in 1946 from low-cost "special" racing organised by enthusiasts in Bristol

Bristol

Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...

, England, just before the Second World War

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

; British motorsport after the war picked up slowly, partly due to petrol rationing which continued for a number of years and home-built 500 cc cars engines were intended to be accessible to the "impecunious enthusiast". The first post war motor race in Britain was organised by the VSCC in July 1947 at RAF Gransden Lodge, 500cc cars being the only post war class to run that day. The race was won by Eric Brandon

Eric Brandon

Eric Brandon was a motor racing driver and businessman. He was closely associated with the Cooper Car Company, and was instrumental in the early development of the company....

in his Cooper

Cooper Car Company

The Cooper Car Company was founded in 1946 by Charles Cooper and his son John Cooper. Together with John's boyhood friend, Eric Brandon, they began by building racing cars in Charles' small garage in Surbiton, Surrey, England in 1946...

Prototype (T2).

Cooper came to dominate the formula with mass-produced cars, and the income this generated enabled the company to develop into the senior categories. Other notable marques included Kieft

Kieft Cars

Kieft Cars founded by Cyril Kieft was a British car company that built Formula Three racing cars and some road going sports cars in a factory in Derry St, Wolverhampton.Cyril Kieft was born in Swansea and spent his early working life in the steel industry...

, JBS and Emeryson

Emeryson

Emeryson was a Formula One constructor briefly in , and then again briefly in and .-Works entries:* Constructors' Championship not awarded until 1958-Results of other Emeryson cars:...

in England and Effyh, Monopoletta and Scampolo in Europe. John Cooper, along with most other 500 builders, decided to place the engine in the middle of the car, driving the rear wheels. This was mostly due to the practical limitations imposed by chain drive but it gave these cars exceptionally good handling characteristics which eventually led to the mid-engined revolution in single-seater racing.
The 500cc formula was the usual route into motor racing through the early and mid 1950s (and stars like Stirling Moss

Stirling Moss

Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...

continued to enter selected F3 events even during their GP careers). Other notable 500 cc Formula 3 drivers include Stuart Lewis-Evans

Stuart Lewis-Evans

Stuart Nigel Lewis-Evans was a British racing driver from England. He participated in 14 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 19 May 1957. He achieved two podiums, and scored a total of 16 championship points...

, Ivor Bueb

Ivor Bueb

Ivor Léon John Bueb was a sports car racing and Formula One driver from England....

, Jim Russell, Peter Collins

Peter Collins (racing driver)

Peter John Collins was a Formula One driver from England. He participated in 35 World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1952. He won 3 races, achieved 9 podiums, and scored a total of 47 championship points....

, Don Parker, Ken Tyrrell

Ken Tyrrell

Robert Kenneth "Ken" Tyrrell was a British Formula Two racing driver and the founder of the Tyrrell Formula One constructor.-Biography:...

, and Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone

Bernard Charles "Bernie" Ecclestone is an English business magnate, as president and CEO of Formula One Management and Formula One Administration and through his part-ownership of Alpha Prema, the parent company of the Formula One Group of companies. As such, he is generally considered the primary...

.

From a statistical point of view, Don Parker was the most successful F3 driver. Although coming to motor racing late in life (at age 41 in 1949), he won a total of 126 F3 races altogether, and was described by Motor Sport magazine (in his 1998 obituary) as "the most successful Formula 3 driver in history." Although Stirling Moss

Stirling Moss

Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...

was already a star by 1953, Parker beat him more than any other driver, and was Formula 3 Champion in 1952, again in 1953, and in 1954 he only lost the title by a half-point. He took the title for a third time in 1959.

In 1954, Parker took on a young man named Norman Graham Hill

Graham Hill

Norman Graham Hill was a British racing driver and two-time Formula One World Champion. He is the only driver to win the Triple Crown of Motorsport — the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500 and Formula One World Championship.Graham Hill and his son Damon are the only father and son pair both to...

as his mechanic and general assistant, and gave him his first taste of competitive motorsport in a 500cc car at Brands Hatch. Some years later, now using his middle name of Graham, this young man twice became Formula 1 World Champion (1962 and 1968).

Don Parker retired shortly after the 1959 season, having chosen not to move to Formula 2 or Formula 1, and thereafter raced only occasionally. However, he maintained his enthusiasm for fast cars, and in 1961 Jaguar built him a specially modified high-performance Mark 2 3.8 litre saloon. This car was reputedly the fastest Mark 2 ever built, having been tested at 140 m.p.h. on the recently opened (but still unrestricted) M4 motorway.

500cc Formula Three declined at an international level during the late 1950s, although it continued at a national level into the early 60s, being eclipsed by Formula Junior

Formula Junior

Formula Junior is an open wheel formula racing class first adopted in October 1958 by the CSI . The class was intended to provide an entry level class where you could use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles...

for 1000 or 1100 cc cars (on a sliding scale of weights).

A one-litre Formula Three category for four-cylinder carburetted cars, with heavily tuned production engines, was reintroduced in 1964 based on the Formula Junior rules and ran to 1970. These engines (a short-stroke unit based on the Ford Anglia

Ford Anglia

The 1949 model, code E494A, was a makeover of the previous model with a rather more 1940s style front-end, including the sloped, twin-lobed radiator grille. Again it was a very spartan vehicle and in 1948 was Britain's lowest priced four wheel car....

with a special 2-valve

Valve

A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...

Cosworth

Cosworth is a high performance engineering company founded in London in 1958, specialising in engines and electronics for automobile racing , mainstream automotive and defence industries...

SOHC head

Cylinder head

In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head sits above the cylinders on top of the cylinder block. It closes in the top of the cylinder, forming the combustion chamber. This joint is sealed by a head gasket...

being by far the most efficient and popular) tended to rev very highly and were popularly known as "screamers"; F3 races tended to involve large packs of slipstream

Slipstream

A slipstream is a region behind a moving object in which a wake of fluid is moving at velocities comparable to the moving object . The term slipstream also applies to the similar region adjacent to an object with a fluid moving around it...

ing cars. The "screamer" years were dominated by Brabham, Lotus

Team Lotus

Team Lotus was the motorsport sister company of English sports car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The team ran cars in many motorsport series including Formula One, Formula Two, Formula Ford, Formula Junior, IndyCar and sports car racing...

and Tecno

Tecno

Although Tecno is primarily remembered as an Italian kart and racing car constructor they started out as a conventional engineering business manufacturing hydraulic pumps...

, with March

March Engineering

March Engineering was a Formula One constructor and manufacturer of customer racing cars from the United Kingdom. Although only moderately successful in Grand Prix competition, March racing cars enjoyed much better achievement in other categories of competition including Formula Two, Formula Three,...

beginning in 1970. Early one-litre F3 chassis tended to descend from Formula Junior

Formula Junior

designs but quickly evolved.

For 1971 new regulations allowing 1600 cc engines with a restricted air intake were introduced. The 1971–73 seasons were contested with these cars, as aerodynamics

Aerodynamics

Aerodynamics is a branch of dynamics concerned with studying the motion of air, particularly when it interacts with a moving object. Aerodynamics is a subfield of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, with much theory shared between them. Aerodynamics is often used synonymously with gas dynamics, with...

started to become important.

Two-litre engine rules were introduced for 1974, still with restricted air intakes. engine regulations remain basically unchanged in F3, a remarkable case of stability in racing regulations.

As the likes of Lotus and Brabham faded from F3 to concentrate on Formula One, F3 constructors of the 1970s included Alpine

Alpine (car)

Alpine was a French manufacturer of racing and sports cars that used rear-mounted Renault engines.Jean Rédélé , the founder of Alpine, was originally a Dieppe garage proprietor, who began to achieve considerable competition success in one of the few French cars produced just after World War...

, Lola, March, Modus, GRD

Group Racing Developments

Group Racing Developments, known more simply as GRD, was a short-lived British constructor of racing cars. It was formed in 1971 with a large percentage of staff coming from those made redundant from the closure of Lotus Cars customer car manufacturing arm...

, Ralt

Ralt

RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name...

, and Ensign

Ensign (racing team)

Ensign was a Formula One constructor from Britain. They participated in 133 grands prix, entering a total of 155 cars. Ensign scored 19 championship points and no podium finish...

.

Historically, March (up to 1981), Ralt (up to the early 1990s) and Reynard

Reynard Motorsport

Reynard Motorsport was at one time the world's largest racing car manufacturer. Initially based at Bicester and latterly at Reynard Park, Brackley, England the company built successful cars in Formula Ford 1600, Formula Ford 2000, Formula Vauxhall Lotus, Formula Three, Formula 3000 and Indy...

(1985–1992) had been the main chassis manufacturers in two-litre F3, with Martini

Martini (cars)

Martini Cars is a constructor of Formula racing cars from France, founded by Renato "Tico" Martini in 1965, when Martini and partner Bill Knight founded the Winfield Racing School at the Magny-Cours circuit...

fairly strong in France; Reynard pioneered use of carbon fibre in the mid-1980s replacing traditional aluminium

Aluminium

Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....

or steel

Steel

Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...

monocoque

Monocoque

Monocoque is a construction technique that supports structural load by using an object's external skin, as opposed to using an internal frame or truss that is then covered with a non-load-bearing skin or coachwork...

structures. Dallara

Dallara

Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993...

however, after an unsuccessful Formula One project, focussed their attention on the formula in the early nineties and obliterated all the other marques with their F393. Within a couple of years, the chassis was considered a prerequisite to competitiveness, and today Dallara chassis are ubiquitous to the formula. In order to keep costs down, their chassis have had a three-year life-cycle, with only minor annual updates. It was agreed however to extend the life-cycle of the current F308 to four years to assist teams during the economic recession; it is due to be replaced in 2012. Most F3 championships, most notably the British series, offer a secondary class for cars from the previous life-cycle in order to provide a cheap point of entry for lesser funded teams and drivers.

By the start of the 1980s however, Formula Three had evolved well beyond its humble beginnings to something closely resembling the modern formula. It was seen as the main training ground for future Formula One drivers, many of them bypassing Formula Two to go straight into Grand Prix racing. The chassis became increasingly sophisticated, mirroring the more senior formulae —ground effect

Ground effect in cars

Ground effect is term applied to a series of aerodynamic effects used in car design, which has been exploited to create downforce, particularly in racing cars. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic theory of streamlining...

s were briefly used in the early 1980s but were banned, in line with other FIA single-seater formulae; carbon fibre chassis started to be introduced from the mid 1980s.

F3 cars

Formula Three cars are monocoque

Monocoque

chassis

Chassis

, using slick racing tyres and wing

Wing

A wing is an appendage with a surface that produces lift for flight or propulsion through the atmosphere, or through another gaseous or liquid fluid...

s. Currently, Dallara

Dallara

Dallara Automobili is an Italian chassis manufacturer for various motor racing series, being most notable for its near-monopoly in Formula 3 since 1993...

manufactures the overwhelming majority of F3 cars, though Mygale

Mygale

Mygale is a French racing car constructor and contractor that specialises in the production of single seater chassis for use in formula racing. The company was established in 1989 by Bertrand Decoster and its factory is based in Magny Cours....

, Lola (formerly in partnership with Dome

Dome (constructor)

, literally "child's dream", is a Japanese-based racing car constructor, involved mainly in open wheel and sports car racing.-Background:In 1965 Minoru Hayashi built his first racing car, a rebodied Honda S600 coupe. Belonging to Tojiro Ukiya, it was called the "Karasu" , due to its shape...

of Japan), Arttech

ArtLine Racing

ArtLine Racing is a motorsports team from Russia. It currently operates in the Trophy class of the German Formula Three Championship. It has also taken part in Russian and Finnish Formula Three Championships...

and SLC also have a limited output. In many smaller or amateur F3 racing series older cars are frequently seen. Usually these series are divided into two or more classes, to allow more participation.

Engine

Internal combustion engine

The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...

s in Formula 3 are all 2-litre

Litre

pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...

, 4-cylinder naturally aspirated spec engines. Engines must be built from a production model block ("stock block"), and often must be sealed by race or series organizers, so no private tuning

Engine tuning

Engine tuning is the adjustment, modification or design of internal combustion engines to yield optimal performance, to increase an engine's power output, economy, or durability....

can be carried out. Honda

Honda

is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...

engines (prepared by Mugen

Mugen Motorsports

Mugen Motorsports is a Japanese company formed in 1973 by Hirotoshi Honda, the son of Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda, and Masao Kimura. Mugen, meaning "Without Limit", or "Unlimited", is an engine tuner and parts manufacturer closely associated with the Honda Motor Company...

) have perennially been popular, as have engines produced by Volkswagen

Volkswagen

Volkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...

, Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo in motorsport

During its history, Alfa Romeo has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sportscar racing, touring car racing and rallies. They have competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries and private...

, or Renault

Renault

Renault S.A. is a French automaker producing cars, vans, and in the past, autorail vehicles, trucks, tractors, vans and also buses/coaches. Its alliance with Nissan makes it the world's third largest automaker...

. Currently the HWA-tuned Mercedes

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG...

and the Volkswagen engines dominate the British and European series, with Mugen, TOM'S

TOM'S

is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...

–Toyota, Opel

Opel

Adam Opel AG, generally shortened to Opel, is a German automobile company founded by Adam Opel in 1862. Opel has been building automobiles since 1899, and became an Aktiengesellschaft in 1929...

and Fiat

Fiat

FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...

all being used by some teams.

Car regulations

width: 1850 mm (72.8") maximum
wheelbase: 2000 mm (78.75") minimum
track: 1200 mm (47") minimum
weight: 550 kg (1213 lbs) minimum
active suspension, telemetry, and traction control are forbidden
two-wheel steering
Steering
Steering is the term applied to the collection of components, linkages, etc. which will allow a vessel or vehicle to follow the desired course...

only
two-wheel drive only
manual gearbox, six forward gears (maximum), and one reverse
undrilled ferrous brakes
wheels, breadth 11.5 inches (292 mm), width 13 inches (330 mm) maximum
Control fuel from a single supplier, but of a comparative level to pump/street gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...

(petrol)
Stock derived 2000cc engine with 26mm (1.02")-width restrictor, hence about 200 horsepower (150 kW) between 5000 and 7400 rpm

Complete regulations:

Championships and series

There has never been a World Championship for Formula Three. In the 1970s and into the 1980s the European Formula Three Championship and British Formula Three Championship

British Formula Three Championship

The British Formula Three Championship is an international motor racing series that takes place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis. Its current official title is...

(once one series had emerged from the competing British series in the 1970s) were the most prominent, with a number of future Formula One champions coming from them. France, Germany, and Italy also had important Formula Three series, but interest in these was originally subsidiary to national formulae—Formula Renault

Formula Renault

Formula Renault is a class of formula racing founded in 1971. It is popular in Europe and other countries. Regarded as an entry-level series to motor racing, it is a respected series where drivers can learn advanced racecraft before moving on to Formula Three, World Series by Renault, GP2 or...

in France and Formula Super Vee

Formula Super Vee

Formula Super Vee was a type of open-wheel motor created to act as a platform for the promotion of VW products, playing much the same role in the 1970s as formulae such as Formula Renault play today. The idea for Formula Super Vee is generally attributed to Josef Hopen, who worked as the Special...

in Germany. These nations eventually drifted towards Formula Three. The Italian series tended to attract older drivers who moved straight across from karting whereas in other nations drivers typically graduated to F3 after a couple of years in minor categories. The European series died out in the mid 1980s and the national series became correspondingly more important. For 2003, French

French Formula Three Championship

French Formula Three Championship is the name of a former French Formula Three racing competition.Starting in 1964, the series ended in 2003, changed, and became part of the Formula Three Euroseries.-Champions:-External links:*...

and German F3

German Formula Three Championship

The German Formula Three Championship – currently titled the ATS Formel 3 Cup – is Germany's national Formula Three series. In the hierarchy of motor racing formulae, Formula Three is placed between national Formula Renault and championships such as GP2...

, both suffering from a lack of competitive entrants, merged to recreate the Formula 3 Euro Series.

Brazil's SudAm Formula Three Championship

Formula Three Sudamericana

Formula Three Sudamericana is the official name for the South American Formula Three Championship. It was inaugurated in 1987 and currently holds events in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay...

, which now has the most powerful engine of all Formula Three series, was known for producing excellent drivers who polished their skills in the British Formula Three championship. Perhaps the most curious of all was the small All-Japan Formula Three Championship

All-Japan Formula Three Championship

, also known as Japanese Formula Three, is a national motor racing championship that takes place in Japan. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis....

. Although few drivers spent a significant amount of time there, future stars such as Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher is a German racing driver, and the younger brother of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher...

and Jacques Villeneuve

Jacques Villeneuve

Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve, , is a Canadian musician and automobile racing driver. He is the son of the late Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle...

scored victories there. An Asian series was established in 2001 and grew to produce current A1 drivers for Indonesia and Australia.

Special races

In addition to the many national series, Formula Three is known for major non-championship races typically including entries from the national series, the best-known of which is the FIA Intercontinental Cup at Macau

Macau Grand Prix

The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held...

. The first Formula Three Grand Prix of Macau was held in 1983 and won by Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna

Ayrton Senna da Silva was a Brazilian racing driver. A three-time Formula One world champion, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time...

. Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher

Michael Schumacher is a German Formula One racing driver for the Mercedes GP team. Famous for his eleven-year spell with Ferrari, Schumacher is a seven-time World Champion and is widely regarded as the greatest F1 driver of all time...

, David Coulthard

David Coulthard

David Marshall Coulthard, MBE, , sometimes known as DC, is a British former Formula One racing driver from Scotland.Coulthard, who was born in Dumfries and raised nearby in Twynholm, made his Formula One debut in 1994 and won 13 Grands Prix in a career spanning 15 seasons...

, Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher

Ralf Schumacher is a German racing driver, and the younger brother of seven-time Formula One World Champion Michael Schumacher...

, and Takuma Sato

Takuma Sato

is a Japanese automobile racing driver and the most successful Japanese Formula One driver in history. He is currently racing for KV Racing Technology in IndyCar Series under the Lotus banner.-Junior Years:...

have also won there, traditionally the end of the Formula Three season, where drivers from almost every national series participate.

Other major races include the Pau Grand Prix (from 1999 to 2006), the Masters of Formula 3

Masters of Formula 3

The Masters of Formula 3 is a Formula Three race held annually, usually at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Due to noise restrictions in the Zandvoort area, the 2007 and 2008 races were held in the Belgian circuit of Zolder...

(traditionally held at Zandvoort

Circuit Park Zandvoort

Circuit Park Zandvoort is a motorsport race track located in Burgemeester van Alphenstraat 108, 2041 KP in the dunes north of the town of Zandvoort, in the Netherlands, near the North Sea coast line.- History :...

), and the Korea Super Prix

Korea Super Prix

The International Formula 3 Korea Super Prix was a Formula Three race held annually on the streets of Changwon, Republic of Korea between 1999 and 2003...

at Changwon

Changwon

Changwon is a city in and the capital of Gyeongsangnam-do in South Korea. Changwon city is 8th most populous city in South Korea, with a 2010 established population of 1,089,039. It encompasses a land area of on southeastern of South Korea. The population of Southeastern part of Korea, that...

. These events give fans in locations not visited by other major series to experience major international racing.

The Monaco F3 Grand Prix held until 1997 was also a famous special race. It was restored in 2005

2005 Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three

The 2005 Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three was a support race for the 2005 Monaco Grand Prix held on the Circuit de Monaco in Monte Carlo. It was the first time Formula Three cars had raced at Monaco since 1997, and remains the last to date. The race was the fourth round of 2005 Formula Three...

only, as a part of the F3 Euroseries.

Principal Series

The champions of these series can be given FIA Super Licence

FIA Super Licence

The FIA Super Licence is a qualification allowing the licence holder to take part in Formula One Grands Prix as a driver. The licence is issued by the FIA upon request....

s valid for 12 months.

Series Name	Zone/Country	Active years	Additional Information
FIA Formula 3 International Trophy FIA Formula 3 International Trophy The FIA Formula 3 International Trophy is a FIA-sanctioned international formula tournament for Formula Three cars launched in 2011.The 2011 calendar will comprise Masters of Formula 3, Pau and Macau Grand Prix, Korea Super Prix, a British F3 round in Spa and a F3 Euro Series date at...	Global	2011–present	Consists of several pre-existing major F3 races
Formula 3 Euro Series	Europe	2003–present	Merger of French and German championships
British Formula Three Championship British Formula Three Championship The British Formula Three Championship is an international motor racing series that takes place primarily in the United Kingdom with a small number of events in mainland Europe. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis. Its current official title is...	United Kingdom	1951–1961, 1964–present
Italian Formula Three Championship Italian Formula Three Championship The Italian Formula Three Championship is the Formula Three racing competition in Italy.-History:Formula Three has traditionally been regarded as the first major stepping stone for F1 hopefuls - it is typically the first point in a driver's career at which most drivers in the series are aiming at...	Italy	1964–1966, 1968–present
All-Japan Formula Three Championship All-Japan Formula Three Championship , also known as Japanese Formula Three, is a national motor racing championship that takes place in Japan. It is a junior-level feeder formula that uses small single seater Formula Three chassis....	Japan	1979–present
European F3 Open Championship	Spain	2001–present	formerly the Spanish Formula Three Championship

Other Series

Series Name	Zone/Country	Active years	Additional Information
German Formula Three Championship German Formula Three Championship The German Formula Three Championship – currently titled the ATS Formel 3 Cup – is Germany's national Formula Three series. In the hierarchy of motor racing formulae, Formula Three is placed between national Formula Renault and championships such as GP2...	Germany	1950–1953, 1971–present	Contested by German teams not wishing to contest the new F3 Euroseries Considered a principal series prior to the formation of the F3 Euroseries
Australian Formula 3 Australian Formula 3 The Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship is a motor racing championship for FIA Formula Three racing cars and is now the official Australian Drivers' Championship. Growing out of Australian Formula 2 racing into a series for the first time in 1999, it has grown into the premier Australian...	Australia	1997–present	The current Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula...
Nordic Formula Three Masters Nordic Formula Three Masters The Nordic F3 Masters, formerly the Finnish Formula Three Championship, is an open wheel racing series based in Finland. The first season of the new Nordic F3 Masters series will be in 2010. The Finnish Formula Three Championship ran from 1958-1960, 1984-1986 and 2000-2009...	Finland	1958–1960, 1984–1986, 2000–present	Formerly known as the Finnish Formula Three Championship
Austria Formula 3 Cup Austria Formula 3 Cup The Austria Formula 3 Cup is an open wheel racing series based in Austria. The series has run since 1984 and regular visits such circuits as the Salzburgring in Austria and the Hockenheimring in Germany.-Scoring system:-Champions:...	Austria	1984–present
Formula Three Sudamericana Formula Three Sudamericana Formula Three Sudamericana is the official name for the South American Formula Three Championship. It was inaugurated in 1987 and currently holds events in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay...	South America	1987–present

Defunct Series

Series Name	Zone/Country	Active years	Additional Information
FIA European Formula Three Championship FIA European Formula Three Championship FIA European Formula Three Championship was a former European Formula Three racing competition, organised by the FIA.The series started in 1966 as a one-race event for national teams, named the Formula 3 Nations European Cup. In 1975, with the introduction of a new regulation for 2000 cc cars, the...	Europe	1975–1984
French Formula Three Championship French Formula Three Championship French Formula Three Championship is the name of a former French Formula Three racing competition.Starting in 1964, the series ended in 2003, changed, and became part of the Formula Three Euroseries.-Champions:-External links:*...	France	1964–1973, 1978–2002	Replaced by Formula Three Euroseries
Belgian Formula Three Championship	Belgium	1964–1967
Swiss Formula Three Championship	Switzerland	1971–2004
Swedish Formula 3 Championship	Sweden	1964–1994, 1997–2000
Danish Formula 3 Championship	Denmark	1949–1966, 1976–1977
Norwegian Formula 3 Championship	Norway	1999–2000
Scandinavian & Nordic Formula Three Championship	Scandinavia	1984–1985, 1992–2001
North European Zone Formula 3 Cup North European Zone Formula 3 Cup The North European Zone Formula 3 Cup, also known as the NEZ Formula 3 Cup, is an open wheel racing series based in Northern Europe. The series ran from 2008 to 2009...	Northern Europe	2008–2009
Russian Formula Three Championship Russian Formula Three Championship Russian Formula Three Championship is the name of a former Russian Formula Three racing competition.Starting in 1997, the series ended in 2002, it was relaunched in 2008 but only for one season.-Champions:-External links:* *...	Russia	1997–2002, 2008
Greece Formula 3 Championship	Greece	1990–2002
Turkish Formula Three Championship	Turkey	1994–2006
Center-European Zone Formula 3 Cup	Central Europe	1994–2005
DDR Formula Three Championship	East Germany	1950–1958, 1964–1972
Asian Formula Three Championship Asian Formula Three Championship The Asian Formula Three Championship was a single-seater racing series based in South East Asia. It is one of a number of national and international Formula Three championships that form part of an established "career ladder" below Formula One. It was sanctioned by the Automobile Association of the...	Asia	2001–2008	most recently known as the Asian F3 Pacific Series
Brazilian Formula Three Championship Brazilian Formula Three Championship Brazilian Formula Three Championship is the name of a former Brazilian Formula Three racing competition.-Champions:-External links:*...	Brazil	1989–1994
United States Formula Three Championship	United States	2000–2001
Mexican Formula Three Championship Mexican Formula Three Championship Mexican Formula Three Championship is the name of a former Mexican Formula Three racing competition.-Champions:-External links:*...	Mexico	1990–2002
Mexican Formula Three International Championship	Mexico	1990–2003
BRSCC ARP Formula Three Championship	United Kingdom	1990–2005

Special Races

Race Name	Zone/Country	Active years	Additional Information
Masters of Formula 3 Masters of Formula 3 The Masters of Formula 3 is a Formula Three race held annually, usually at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Due to noise restrictions in the Zandvoort area, the 2007 and 2008 races were held in the Belgian circuit of Zolder...	Netherlands	1991–present	Part of the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy FIA Formula 3 International Trophy The FIA Formula 3 International Trophy is a FIA-sanctioned international formula tournament for Formula Three cars launched in 2011.The 2011 calendar will comprise Masters of Formula 3, Pau and Macau Grand Prix, Korea Super Prix, a British F3 round in Spa and a F3 Euro Series date at...
Macau Grand Prix Formula Three Macau Grand Prix The Macau Grand Prix is a motor-racing event held annually in Macau, one of China's Special Administrative Regions. It is known for being the only street circuit racing event in which both car and motorcycle races are held...	Macau	1983–present	Also known as FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup, part of the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy FIA Formula 3 International Trophy The FIA Formula 3 International Trophy is a FIA-sanctioned international formula tournament for Formula Three cars launched in 2011.The 2011 calendar will comprise Masters of Formula 3, Pau and Macau Grand Prix, Korea Super Prix, a British F3 round in Spa and a F3 Euro Series date at...
Formula 3 Brazil Open Formula 3 Brazil Open The Formula 3 Brazil Open, also known as the F3 Brazil Open, is an annual open wheel racing event at the grand prix circuit of Autódromo José Carlos Pace in São Paulo, Brazil...	Brazil	2010–present
Korea Super Prix Korea Super Prix The International Formula 3 Korea Super Prix was a Formula Three race held annually on the streets of Changwon, Republic of Korea between 1999 and 2003...	South Korea	1999–2003	Part of the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy FIA Formula 3 International Trophy The FIA Formula 3 International Trophy is a FIA-sanctioned international formula tournament for Formula Three cars launched in 2011.The 2011 calendar will comprise Masters of Formula 3, Pau and Macau Grand Prix, Korea Super Prix, a British F3 round in Spa and a F3 Euro Series date at...
Pau Grand Prix	France	1999–2006, 2011–present	Part of the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy FIA Formula 3 International Trophy The FIA Formula 3 International Trophy is a FIA-sanctioned international formula tournament for Formula Three cars launched in 2011.The 2011 calendar will comprise Masters of Formula 3, Pau and Macau Grand Prix, Korea Super Prix, a British F3 round in Spa and a F3 Euro Series date at...
Monaco Grand Prix Formula Three	Monaco	1950, 1959–1997, 2005	Supporting Formula 1
FIA European Formula Three Cup FIA European Formula Three Cup The FIA European Formula Three Cup was a Formula 3 single race held annually at different European circuits from 1985 to 1990, and at the Pau Circuit, France from 1999 to 2002. It became as the official Formula 3 championship in Europe after the European Formula 3 Championship had been cancelled...	Europe	1985–1990, 1999–2002
Formula 3 Fuji Cup	Japan	1990-1993

Partially sourced from http://www.forix.com/8w/6thgear/champs.html