BRDC British Formula 3 Championship

The BRDC British Formula 3 Championship is a single seater motorsport series based in the United Kingdom. The championship is the UK's premier single-seater category, and is aimed at young racing drivers moving up from FIA Formula 4 championships or Karting. The championship was renamed the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with the backing of the FIA in March 2016, having previously been known since 2013 as the BRDC Formula 4 Championship.[1]

Not to be confused with British Formula 3 International Series.

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
CategorySingle seaters
CountryUnited Kingdom
Inaugural season2013
ConstructorsTatuus
Engine suppliersFord Duratec
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Drivers' champion Clément Novalak
Official websitewww.britishf3.com
Current season

History

On 23 March 2016, the FIA and MSA revealed to the FIA World Motor Sport Council that an agreement had been reached the day prior to rebrand the BRDC Formula 4 Championship in order to reflect the increased pace of the new car designed for the 2016 season, and to fill the void left after the British Formula 3 Championship folded in 2014.[2]

The series will co-headline seven of eight rounds with the British GT Championship.

The BRDC British Formula Three Championship notably does not use a FIA Formula 3 car, instead using a car based on the Formula 4 specification that is elevated to the pace of F3 cars. The car is designed by Italian manufacturer Tatuus to the F3 safety regulations including side impact panels, front and rear carbon impact structures, wheel tethers and extractable seat. British engine and electronics manufacturer Cosworth provides the engine and related control electronics for the FA-016. The car also uses a unique Sadev limited slip differential.[3]

The cars are around the same pace as the previous FIA F3 specification car used prior to the series folding in 2014.[3]

The FIA have previously been stringent with assigning of national F3 status. The Euroformula Open Championship had to drop the F3 moniker due to it using an old specification Dallara F312 Formula 3 car and low specification engine that did not meet the standards set by the FIA's single-seater commission. The granting of the national F3 status to the Tatuus-Cosworth highlights the pace of the car in relation to the FIA's other formula specifications.[4]

BRDC British F3 morphed out of the BRDC F4 category, which ran for three seasons before the new car was introduced.

The F4 name was operated by the 750 Motor Club before being awarded to MotorSport Vision. Under the BRDC F4 moniker, British driver Jake Hughes was the first champion of the series in 2013, driving for Lanan Racing. The championship top three of Hughes, vice-champion Seb Morris and Charlie Robertson were all finalists in that year's McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

In 2014, George Russell was crowned champion following a dramatic victory in the season finale at Snetterton. Russell beat his Lanan Racing teammate Arjun Maini by just three points and went on to win the 2014 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award later in the year.

Will Palmer was crowned the 2015 champion after a dominant campaign in which he took 12 victories from the 24 races. His HHC Motorsport teammate Harri Newey finished as runner-up, with Palmer subsequently named as the winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in December.

In the first season of BRDC British F3, Matheus Leist secured the championship in the final weekend of the season, while British driver Lando Norris won three races and was named the winner of the 2016 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in December.

Enaam Ahmed claimed the title after a dominant campaign in 2017 which saw him win a total of 13 races.

Linus Lundqvist won the championship in 2018, which also saw him claim a prize drive at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona.

Chassis specifications
See also: Tatuus F4-T014

BRDC British Formula 3 Car
MSV Tatuus-Cosworth 016
ConstructorTatuus
Engine2.0L Duratec
Valvetrain
LubricationDry sump
Torque
Horsepower230 bhp spec
Engine managementCosworth
Ignition system
TransmissionSadev ST75LW 6-speed sequential
SuspensionDouble wishbone Pushrod
ChassisCarbon-fibre
TiresPirelli (2015)
BrakesAP Racing 4-piston calipers
Wheelbase2750 mm
Front track1600 mm
Rear track1500 mm
Weight495 kg

The Tatuus-Cosworth car is a significantly more powerful car than the BRDC F4 car, with a more sophisticated aerodynamic package and increased downforce which elevates its pace to close to European Formula 3.

The car utilises a carbon-fibre Tatuus chassis and is powered by a 2-litre 230bhp spec Cosworth engine. The FA-016 meets all the latest FIA Formula 3 safety regulations including side impact panels, front and rear carbon impact structures, wheel tethers and extractable seat.

An improved aerodynamic set-up includes a highly adjustable front-wing and two piece rear-wing, and an F1-style front splitter and rear diffuser, which provides the most downforce in class.

It features a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shift provided by Sadev and fitted with a limited-slip differential, unique to BRDC British Formula 3.

Pirelli will continue to provide both dry and wet tyres to the British Formula 3 Championship.

The braking system is supplied by AP Racing and features 4-piston front calipers and floating, grooved and ventilated discs with 2-piston rear caliper and fixed vented rear disc.

Twin wishbone suspension with two-way adjustable dampers and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars will provide drivers with plenty of scope for set-up changes.

Points system

Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race, except the reverse grid race two, using the following system in 2013:

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Points 30 25 20 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race, using the following system since 2014:

Races Position, points per race
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
Races 1 & 3 35 29 24 21 19 17 15 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Reverse grid race (2) 25 22 20 18 16 15 14

Champions

Operating under 750 Motor Club

All champions were British-registered.

Season Champion Class A2 Class B Class C Class D Class E
2006 Chris Lewis Chris Vinall Peter Monk Paul Rider Malcolm Scott
2007 Steve Savage Chris Kite Clive Yorath Stuart Wright Jennifer Scott
2008 Jeremy Walker Clive Yorath Oliver Sirrell
2009 Jonathan Weston-Taylor [5] Will Thompson

(As Revelation Series)

 Charles Adrian Paul Presgraves
2010 Malcolm Scott David Woodsworth-Dale Clive Yorath Paul Presgraves John Whitbourn
2011 Oliver Sirrell Charles Adrian Ashley Dibden Scott Moakes

BRDC Formula 4 Championship
Season Champion Jack Cavill Pole Position Cup Winter Series Champion Autumn Trophy Champion The Who Zooms Award
2013 Jake Hughes Jake Hughes Matthew Graham not awarded Gosia Rdest
2014 George Russell George Russell Will Palmer not awarded
2015 (2015 AT) Will Palmer Will Palmer not awarded Ben Barnicoat

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship
Season Champion Secondary champion
2016 Matheus Leist J: Ricky Collard
A: Enaam Ahmed
2017 Enaam Ahmed J: Enaam Ahmed
D: Carlin
2018 Linus Lundqvist not awarded
2019 Clément Novalak[lower-alpha 1] not awarded

Notes
  1. Clément Novalak is a Franco-Swiss driver who competed under a British licence.

References
  1. "British F3 is back!". Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  2. BRDC Formula 4's British Formula 3 rebrand goes ahead for 2016 – Autosport, 23 March 2016
  3. The Tatuus-Cosworth BRDC British F3 Car – BRDC British F3, 17 January 2018
  4. BRDC F4 becomes British F3 on eve of 2016 season – PaddockScout, 23 March 2016
  5. "Jonathan Weston Taylor Clinches 2009 Title". Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
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