FIA Formula 3 European Championship

The FIA Formula 3 European Championship, previously known as the FIA Formula 3 International Trophy, is a European based FIA licenced Championship, with drivers and teams competing under Formula 3 rules.^[1] Largely based off of the Formula 3 Euro Series, which started in 2003, the F3 European Championship is viewed as a significant step towards Formula One, serving a tier below that of the FIA Formula 2 Championship. The series is viewed as the highest point in the F3 ladder, with feeder series across the World.

European Formula 3, which also served as a partial revival of the FIA European Formula 3 Championship of the 1970s and 1980s, has been in competition with the newer GP3 Series since the latter's creation to be a step on the road to F1.^[2] This is set to change in 2019, however, with the FIA launching the new FIA Formula 3 International Championship, merging GP3 and European F3 together to form an official third tier of single seater racing.^[2]

Links to Formula One[]

Although the Formula 3 European Championship does not support Formula One directly, the series has provided an ample amount of talent to F1 in all its various guises. Most prominent are its list of alumini, with several F1 World Champions listed as winners in the series. Teams, personnel and venues are also shared between the two series historically, as well as certain manufacturers.

Below are various lists detailing those whom have been involved in both Formula One and FIA European Formula 3:

Drivers[]

Note: Only drivers who have completed in a round of the Formula One World Championship are listed here.

Driver	European F3 years*	F1 years	Races
Jules Bianchi	2008-2009	2013–2014	40
Valtteri Bottas	2009-2010	2013-present	38
Sebastien Buemi	2006-2007	2009-2011	40
Lucas di Grassi	2003, 2005	2010	24
Paul di Resta	2005-2006	2011-2013, 2017	40
Antonio Giovinazzi	2013-2015	2017, 2020-2021	96
Timo Glock	2003	2008-2012	20
Romain Grosjean	2006-2007	2009, 2012-2020	40
Esteban Gutiérrez	2009-2010	2013-2014, 2016	22
Lewis Hamilton	2004-2005	2007-present	40
Brendon Hartley	2008-2009	2017-present	24
Nico Hülkenberg	2007-2008	2010, 2012-2020	40
Christian Klien	2003	2004-2006, 2010	20
Kamui Kobayashi	2006-2007	2009-2012, 2014	40
Robert Kubica	2003-2004	2006-2010, 2019	34
Daniil Kvyat	2013	2014-2017	21
Charles Leclerc	2015	2017-present	33
Kevin Magnussen	2010	2014-2020, 2022-present	2
Roberto Merhi	2009-2011	2015	65
Kazuki Nakajima	2006	2007-2009	20
Felipe Nasr	2012	2015-2016	3
Esteban Ocon	2014	2016-present	33
Daniel Ricciardo	2008	2011-present	2
Nico Rosberg	2003-2004	2006-2016	40
Carlos Sainz, Jr.	2011-2012	2015-present	31
Lance Stroll	2015-2016	2017-present	63
Adrian Sutil	2004-2005	2007-2011, 2013-2014	38
Giedo van der Garde	2004-2006	2013	60
Max Verstappen	2014	2015-present	33
Sebastian Vettel	2005-2006	2007-2022	40
Pascal Wehrlein	2012-2013	2016-2017	31
Markus Winkelhock	2003	2007	20
Sakon Yamamoto	2003	2006-2007, 2010	20

Bold indicates a European Formula 3 Champion.
* Includes data from the Formula 3 Euro Series (2003-2012).

Personnel[]

Numerous other drivers have been rewarded with testing roles in Formula One after their efforts in Formula 3, with 2017 Champion Lando Norris set to serve as a reserve at McLaren. Various F1 related teams have also competed in both Championships, most notably Manor Motorsport (later entrants in F1 as Manor Racing) who guided Lewis Hamilton to the 2005 crown.

Manufacturers[]

Mercedes are the most prominent F1 related brand in the European F3 series, supplying engines to half of the field. Furthermore, winners of the series using a Mercedes engine are frequently inducted into their junior driver programme, securing drives in the DTM if not a testing role for the Grand Prix team. Volkswagen are the other major supplier in F3, but have no interest in Formula One at present.

Elsewhere, all F3 cars are built by Dallara, an Italian racing specialist that supply various Championships, including F1 in the past.

Venues[]

The European F3 Championship has followed the DTM calendar throughout its existence, and has featured at almost all the venues that F1 visits in a typical season. The series has also been partnered with the World Touring Car Championship and the World Endurance Championship in the past, as well as various GT Championships.

Below is a list of all venues to have hosted both categories:

The European F3 Championship also holds an annual round at the Circuit de Pau-Ville, named the Pau Grand Prix. The Grand Prix of Pau was a non-Championship F1 race in the 1950s, and now serves as a round of the European F3 Championship each year. The global F3 race known as the Macau Grand Prix is a similar yearly tradition, but features entries from every F3 Championship across the World.

References[]

Images and Videos:

References:

↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named F3
↑ ^2.0 ^2.1 Marcus Simmons, 'FIA confirms new single-make Formula 3 category for 2019', autosport.com, (Autosport Media UK, 21/09/2017), https://www.autosport.com/f3/news/131962/new-singlemake-f3-series-for-2019, (Accessed 02/12/2017)

[F3-1] Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named F3

[NewF3-2] 2.0 ^2.1 Marcus Simmons, 'FIA confirms new single-make Formula 3 category for 2019', autosport.com, (Autosport Media UK, 21/09/2017), https://www.autosport.com/f3/news/131962/new-singlemake-f3-series-for-2019, (Accessed 02/12/2017)

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