FIA Formula 3 European Championship

The FIA Formula 3 European Championship was a European Formula Three (F3) auto racing competition, organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). After one season of the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy, the FIA revived the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.[1] The ten-event season included seven Formula 3 Euro Series rounds, two British Formula Three rounds and DTM-supporting round at Brands Hatch. From 2013, the series started running its own rounds, based upon the defunct Formula 3 Euro Series.

FIA Formula 3 European Championship
CategorySingle seaters
CountryEurope
Inaugural season2012
Folded2018
Drivers27 (regularly 21 including wildcard and replacement)
Teams7
ConstructorsDallara
Engine suppliersMercedes and Volkswagen
Tyre suppliersHankook
Last Drivers' championGermany Mick Schumacher
Last Teams' championItaly Prema Theodore Racing
Official websiteOfficial website

In 2019, the series merged with the GP3 Series to form the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and was due to relaunch as the Formula European Masters[2][3] and run in support of the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters.[4] The championship was cancelled ahead of its debut season due to lack of competitors. The championship would have used the current spec cars[5] and were working with Dallara to design a new car for 2020.[6] However, it was replaced by GT4-based series, DTM Trophy as the successor.

Car history and current specifications edit

Chassis edit

The FIA Formula 3 European Championship is a third-tier single-seater formula car. A spec-series, the championship mandates chassis and engine manufacturers which teams must use each season. The championship controls and specifies the chassis and engine manufacturers that teams are allowed to use each season. The league's choice of manufacturers are changed every three years. Currently, Dallara provides a specification chassis to all teams since inaugural season. Teams are prohibited from performing engine or chassis modifications.The current Dallara F317 features an airboxless roll hoop and also left-side separated airbox on upside sidepod. The chassis construction of Dallara F317 car are carbon-fibre monocoque incorporated with honeycomb structure. The Dallara F317 also includes bi-plane front wing, bi-plane rear wing and also lower nose (similar to current Formula One cars)

Transmission, gearbox and clutches edit

For the transmission gearboxes, all FIA Formula 3 European cars currently use a semi-automatic transmission with 6-speed gearbox operated by paddle shifters since the 2012 season. The clutch of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are CFRP 3-plate clutch operated by foot-pedal. Mechanical limited-slip differential are also allowed and constant velocity joint tripod driveshafts are also used. The transmission fluid supplier is currently the RAVENOL F3 Gear premium oil.

Brakes edit

AP Racing supplies monobloc brake calipers, cast-iron brake discs, pads and disc bells, which are exclusive to all FIA Formula 3 European cars.

Wheel rims edit

ATS exclusively supplies wheel rims for all FIA Formula 3 European cars since the inaugural 2012 season. The wheel rims of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are made of magnesium alloy wheels.

Tyres edit

Hankook was the sole tyre partner for the series since the 2012 season until 2018. The FIA Formula 3 European tyres runs the bespoke compounds and smaller size since 2012. The front tyre sizes are 180/550-R13 and the rear tyre sizes are 240/570-R13.

Cockpit and other safety components edit

For the safety equipment, all FIA Formula 3 European cars seating uses removable carbon-fibre shell driver's seat with 6-point seat belts. The steering wheel of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are universally supplied by XAP Technologies. All FIA Formula 3 European cars are also equipped with XAP data display units since the 2012 season.

Rear view mirrors for all FIA Formula 3 European cars are fully mandated to easily view opponents behind.

Fuel tank edit

The fuel tank of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are made of kevlar-reinforced rubber safety tank supplied by ATL with FT3 standard. Currently the fuel tank capacity of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are 45 litres (12 US gallons) since 2012.

Other components edit

All FIA Formula 3 European cars carry a Bosch-provided electronic control unit (Motronic MS 5.8 model), but traction control and anti-lock brakes are prohibited. Live telemetry is used only for television broadcasts, but the data can be recorded from the ECU to the computer if the car is in the garage and not on the track.

Engines edit

The cars are powered by naturally-aspirated (no turbocharger or supercharger) direct fuel injection (since 2014) inline-4 engines, with aluminium alloy blocks, and a DOHC valvetrain actuating four-valves per cylinder, and limited to 2.0 L (122 cu in) displacement since the series' inauguration in 2012. DTM car's engines are currently producing over 240 hp (179 kW) power output between 5,000-7,400 rpm. Currently Mercedes-AMG (operated by Mercedes-AMG HPP) and Volkswagen providing the engines currently maximum three teams per one manufacturer. ThreeBond Nissan and Neil Brown Engineering has provided engines in 2012-2016 and 2014-2016 but both companies left at the end of the 2016 season respectively due to competitor reduction to 19 cars.

FIA Formula 3 European engines are rev-limited to 7,400 rpm. The valve train is a dual overhead camshaft configuration with four valves per cylinder. The crankshaft is made of alloy steel, with five main bearing caps. The pistons are forged aluminum alloy, while the connecting rods are machined alloy steel. The firing ignition is a CDI ignition system. The engine lubrication is a dry sump type, cooled by a single water pump.

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 can be carried out.

Spark plugs edit

All FIA Formula 3 European cars carried a spark plugs are made of iridium and supplied exclusively by Bosch since 2012.

Exhaust systems edit

The exhaust systems of all FIA Formula 3 European cars are silencer type but made by titanium with operation of three-way catalytic converter. Currently Remus are providing the exhaust systems.

Fuel edit

FIA Formula 3 European cars currently use ordinary fossil unleaded racing fuel, which has been the de facto standard in European third-tier single-seater formula racing since Formula 3 Euroseries in 2003 and the formation of FIA Formula 3 European in 2012. Since the 2005 Formula 3 Euroseries season, per agreement with ITR e.V., which has promoted the series from that to FIA European Formula 3 and later Formula European Masters, BP is the official fuel supplier using their German Aral Ultimate brand

Current Aral Ultimate 102 RON unleaded gasoline resembles the ordinary unleaded public vehicles gasoline which has better mileage, environmental-friendly and safer than other fuels.

Lubricants edit

The current lubricant supplier of all FIA Formula 3 European cars is Ravenol.

Performance edit

According to research and pre-season stability tests, the current model can go 0 to 60 mph in approximately 3 seconds. The car has a top speed of over 160 mph (257 km/h) depending on the circuit and gearing meaning that it is the fourth fastest single-seater formula car behind Formula 1, Formula 2 and GP3 Series.

Specifications edit

Race format edit

Following two practice sessions, the first of two qualifying sessions will be held on Friday afternoon. Race 1 starts on Saturday morning, while Qualifying 2 is usually scheduled for the afternoon. On Sunday, the two remaining races will be held, with Race 2 taking off on Sunday morning and Race 3 concluding the weekend in the afternoon. Each race will consist of 33 minutes plus one lap and covers a distance of about 100 kilometres.[7]

Champions edit

Drivers' edit

SeasonDriverTeamEnginePolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMarginRef
2012 Daniel Juncadella Prema PowerteamMercedes55105252Race 20 of 2023.5[8]
2013 Raffaele Marciello Prema PowerteamMercedes1213198489.5Race 29 of 3032.5[9]
2014 Esteban Ocon Prema PowerteamMercedes159217478Race 30 of 3358[10]
2015 Felix Rosenqvist Prema PowerteamMercedes17132413518Race 30 of 33105.5[11][12]
2016 Lance Stroll Prema PowerteamMercedes14142013508Race 26 of 30187[13]
2017 Lando Norris CarlinVolkswagen89208441Race 28 of 3053[14]
2018 Mick Schumacher Prema Theodore RacingMercedes78144365Race 29 of 3057[15]

Teams' edit

SeasonTeamEnginePolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMarginRef
2013 Prema PowerteamMercedes17174214810Race 27 of 30206[9]
2014 Prema PowerteamMercedes1511348740Race 31 of 3336[10]
2015 Prema PowerteamMercedes23204618912Race 28 of 33379.5[11]
2016 Prema PowerteamMercedes22202018780Race 24 of 30187[13]
2017 Prema PowerteamMercedes13113311829Race 29 of 30127[14]
2018 Prema Theodore RacingMercedes161714111003.5Race 28 of 30214.5[15]

Rookies' edit

The result of the championship was decided by different standings. Wins and points of the rookie standings are present in brackets.

SeasonDriverTeamEnginePolesWins (rookie)PodiumsFastest lapsPoints (rookie)ClinchedMarginRef
2014 Esteban Ocon Prema PowerteamMercedes159 (15)217478 (619)Race 28 of 33105[10][16]
2015 Charles Leclerc Van Amersfoort RacingVolkswagen34 (10)135363.5 (533.5)Race 30 of 33105.5[11][12]
2016 Joel Eriksson MotoparkVolkswagen11 (8)102252 (470)Race 29 of 3052[13][17]
2017 Lando Norris CarlinVolkswagen89 (21)208441 (628)Race 28 of 3089[14][18]
2018 Robert Shwartzman Prema Theodore RacingMercedes32 (1)111294 (491.5)Race 28 of 3061.5[15][19]

Drivers who graduated to Formula One edit

DriverFIA Formula 3Formula 1
SeasonsRacesWinsPodiumsBest pos.SeasonsFirst teamRacesWinsPodiums
Daniil Kvyat20132117NC†20142017, 20192020Toro Rosso11003
Carlos Sainz Jr.201220155th2015Toro Rosso191322
Felipe Nasr2012100NC†20152016Sauber3900
Max Verstappen20143210163rd2015Toro Rosso19460105
Pascal Wehrlein2012201323294th20162017Manor3900
Esteban Ocon2014339211st20162018, 2020Manor14213
Antonio Giovinazzi20132015958272nd2017, 20192021Sauber6200
Lance Stroll201520166215261st2017Williams15203
Charles Leclerc2015334134th2018Sauber132635
George Russell20152016633133rd2019Williams113112
Alex Albon201531057th20192020, 2022Toro Rosso9002
Lando Norris20162017339201st2019McLaren113118
Nicholas Latifi20132014600110th20202022Williams6100
Pietro Fittipaldi2015300017th2020Haas200
Nikita Mazepin20162017590310th2021Haas2100
Mick Schumacher20172018608151st20212022Haas4300
Zhou Guanyu20162018902138th2022Alfa Romeo5300

† Competed as a guest driver ineligible to score championship points.

See also edit

References edit

External links edit