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1997 International Formula 3000 Championship

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The 1997 International Formula 3000 season was the thirty-first season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also thirteenth season under the International Formula 3000 Championship moniker. The championship[1] was a ten-round series contested from 11 May to 25 October 1997. The Drivers' Championship was won by Brazilian Ricardo Zonta of Super Nova Racing, who won three races.

Drivers and teams

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The following teams and drivers contested the 1997 FIA Formula 3000 International Championship. The Lola T96/50 Zytek-Judd was used by all teams,[2] as was mandatory under the championship regulations.

Team No. Driver Rounds
Austria RSM Marko 1 Australia Craig Lowndes All
2 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya All
United Kingdom Super Nova Racing 3 Brazil Ricardo Zonta All
4 France Laurent Redon All
Belgium Team Astromega 5 France Boris Derichebourg All
6 France Soheil Ayari All
Italy Draco Engineering 7 France Cyrille Sauvage All
8 Portugal Pedro Couceiro All
France Apomatox 9 France Fabrizio Gollin 1-3, 9
France Emmanuel Clérico 4
10 France Jean-Philippe Belloc 1-4
United Kingdom Edenbridge Racing 11 South Africa Werner Lupberger All
12 Brazil Max Wilson All
United Kingdom Pacific Racing 14 Austria Oliver Tichy 1-8
15 Spain Marc Gené 1-2
France DAMS 16 France Grégoire de Galzain All
17 United Kingdom Jamie Davies All
Italy Durango Formula 18 South Africa Stephen Watson All
19 United Kingdom Gareth Rees All
Italy Auto Sport Racing 20 Argentina Gastón Mazzacane All
21 Denmark Tom Kristensen All
United Kingdom Nordic Racing 22 Italy Thomas Biagi 1-3
Spain Marc Gené 4-6, 10
Austria Mario Waltner 7-8
Italy Gianluca Paglicci 9
23 Portugal Rui Águas All
United Kingdom Bob Salisbury Engineering 24 United Kingdom Oliver Gavin 1-3
United Kingdom James Taylor 4-10
25 Norway Thomas Schie All
Denmark Den Blå Avis 26 Denmark Jason Watt All
United Kingdom DC Cook Motorsport 27 United Kingdom David Cook All
28 France Patrick Lemarié 9-10
Italy Coloni Motorsport 29 Austria Markus Friesacher All
30 Argentina Emiliano Spataro 1-9
Austria Oliver Tichy 10
Italy Ravarotto Racing 31 France Anthony Beltoise 1-7
32 France Patrick Lemarié 1-5, 7
Italy GP Racing 33 Italy Thomas Biagi 4-10
Spain Elide Racing 34 Spain Miguel Ángel de Castro 10
United Kingdom Arden International 35 United Kingdom Christian Horner All
Belgium KTR 36 Belgium Kurt Mollekens All
United Kingdom Redman & Bright F3000 37 Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez 1, 3-7, 9-10
United Kingdom DKS Racing 38 United Kingdom Dino Morelli 1-4
Sources:[3][4]

Calendar

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Round Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team Report
1 United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit 11 May Brazil Ricardo Zonta Spain Marc Gené Denmark Tom Kristensen Italy Auto Sport Racing Report
2 France Pau Grand Prix 19 May Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Austria RSM Marko Report
3 Finland Helsinki Thunder 25 May Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya France Soheil Ayari Belgium Team Astromega Report
4 Germany Nürburgring 29 June Brazil Ricardo Zonta Brazil Ricardo Zonta Brazil Ricardo Zonta United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
5 Italy Autodromo di Pergusa 20 July United Kingdom Jamie Davies United Kingdom Jamie Davies United Kingdom Jamie Davies France DAMS Report
6 Germany Hockenheimring 26 July Denmark Tom Kristensen Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Brazil Ricardo Zonta United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
7 Austria A1 Ring 3 August Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Brazil Ricardo Zonta Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Austria RSM Marko Report
8 Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 22 August Denmark Tom Kristensen Portugal Rui Águas Denmark Jason Watt Denmark Den Blå Avis Report
9 Italy Mugello Circuit 29 September Brazil Ricardo Zonta Brazil Ricardo Zonta Brazil Ricardo Zonta United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
10 Spain Circuito de Jerez 25 October Brazil Ricardo Zonta Brazil Ricardo Zonta Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Austria RSM Marko Report
Source:[5]

Season summary

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After finishing the season with two wins in the last three races of 1996, Brazil's Ricardo Zonta entered 1997 as the pre-season title favourite with the Super Nova team. However, he endured a frustrating start with no points from the first three races. The early pace in the championship battle was set by Denmark's Tom Kristensen, who inherited the race victory at a damp Silverstone from the disqualified Zonta, and then finished behind Juan Pablo Montoya on the street circuit at Pau. After an attritional race in Helsinki won by Soheil Ayari, where most of the major title contenders failed to finish and just nine drivers made it to the chequered flag, the field endured another wet race at the Nurburgring. It was marred by a serious accident involving British drivers Dino Morelli and Gareth Rees, in which Morelli suffered severe leg injuries which would keep him out of racing for the rest of the season.[6] With the race abandoned after just four laps, Zonta was declared the winner, but with only half-points awarded.

By mid-season, the competitive start to the season left the championship battle wide open, with Kristensen and Enna winner Jamie Davies leading the standings halfway through the season ahead of Montoya, Zonta and Ayari. Zonta became the first driver to win twice with a dominant drive at Hockenheim, but left Germany a point behind the consistent Davies, who had been on the podium in four of the six races so far. However, at the A1-Ring, a disastrous qualifying left the British driver down in 24th place on the grid, leaving him out of contention for points. Montoya led home Zonta, who became the new championship leader.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps was another overshadowed by a large crash, as Kristensen crashed heavily while leading at the high-speed Blanchimont corner, triggering a pile-up, though no drivers were seriously injured.[7] Denmark's Jason Watt took his first Formula 3000 race win to enter title contention, as Zonta could only manage to finish fifth, and his rivals all failed to score points. However, a month later, a controversial round at Mugello settled the championship - Kristensen was excluded from the event for running an illegal spacer, while Davies and DAMS team mate Gregoire de Galzain were also excluded for failure to attend the drivers' briefing. Zonta's race win, with Montoya only finishing third behind Watt, meant that the Brazilian was declared champion. The Auto Sport and Durango teams protested Zonta and Watt's results for allegedly having used illegal fuel and car parts, but this protest was quashed and the results stood.[8] Montoya went on to win the final round at Jerez, securing second place in the championship. Watt finished third ahead of Davies, who had failed to score any points since taking the lead of the championship with four races to go.

None of the drivers who participated in the 1997 season were able to take seats on the 1998 Formula One grid. Zonta moved to the AMG Mercedes team in the FIA GT Championship, which he won jointly with Klaus Ludwig, and went on to drive for BAR in Formula One in 1999. Kristensen, who had won the 1997 24 Hours of Le Mans, moved into sportscar racing, while the remaining major contenders would return to Formula 3000 in 1998. Having won the 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship on debut, Craig Lowndes returned to Australia the following year and won a second ATCC title in as many attempts.

Drivers' Championship

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Pos Driver SIL
United Kingdom
PAU
France
HEL
Finland
NÜR
Germany
PER
Italy
HOC
Germany
A1R
Austria
SPA
Belgium
MUG
Italy
JER
Spain
Points
1 Brazil Ricardo Zonta DSQ Ret Ret 1 2 1 2 5 1 Ret 39
2 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Ret 1 Ret 4 11 5 1 DSQ 3 1 37.5
3 Denmark Jason Watt 4 12 DNS 2 Ret 4 Ret 1 2 Ret 25
4 United Kingdom Jamie Davies 3 3 Ret 8 1 3 9 8 EX Ret 22
5 Brazil Max Wilson Ret 7 Ret 5 3 2 8 2 4 10 21
6 Denmark Tom Kristensen 1 2 Ret 3 Ret Ret 6 Ret EX Ret 19
7 Austria Oliver Tichy 8 8 2 9 Ret 7 5 Ret 2 14
8 France Soheil Ayari Ret 6 1 19 Ret Ret 10 Ret 6 Ret 12
9 France Laurent Redon Ret 4 Ret 21 6 Ret 3 14 5 11 10
10 Portugal Rui Águas Ret 9 5 7 Ret DSQ 4 9 12 5 7
11 Portugal Pedro Couceiro 2 Ret Ret 15 DNS Ret 11 7 Ret Ret 6
12 United Kingdom Dino Morelli 5 11 3 Ret 6
13 France Cyrille Sauvage 7 5 Ret Ret 8 Ret Ret 4 9 DSQ 5
14 United Kingdom Gareth Rees Ret Ret Ret Ret 16 11 Ret Ret 7 3 4
15 France Boris Derichebourg 12 15 8 Ret 9 DNQ 13 3 22 15 4
16 France Patrick Lemarié 6 13 4 13 Ret 14 DNQ 4
17 Australia Craig Lowndes 14 Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret 21 9 3
18 South Africa Werner Lupberger 11 DNQ DNQ 18 Ret 14 Ret 13 11 4 3
19 Belgium Kurt Mollekens EX 10 Ret DNQ 5 6 Ret Ret Ret Ret 3
20 South Africa Stephen Watson 15 DNQ 6 16 7 12 Ret 6 15 Ret 2
21 United Kingdom Christian Horner 16 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 16 DNQ 17 6 1
22 Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez DNQ Ret 6 Ret 17 7 8 Ret 0.5
23 United Kingdom David Cook Ret DNQ 7 DNQ Ret DNQ 14 Ret Ret 7 0
24 France Grégoire de Galzain DNQ DNQ DNQ 17 Ret 9 15 Ret EX 8 0
25 Spain Marc Gené 13 DNQ DNQ Ret 8 Ret 0
26 France Anthony Beltoise Ret Ret 9 14 12 13 Ret 0
27 France Jean-Philippe Belloc 9 Ret Ret 20 0
28 Argentina Gastón Mazzacane 10 DNQ Ret 10 15 10 17 11 10 Ret 0
29 Norway Thomas Schie DNQ 14 DNQ DNQ DNQ 15 DNQ 10 18 Ret 0
30 Argentina Emiliano Spataro DNQ DNQ DNQ 11 13 16 12 Ret Ret 0
31 Italy Thomas Biagi DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 14 18 Ret Ret 16 12 0
32 France Emmanuel Clérico 12 0
33 United Kingdom James Taylor DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 12 DNQ DNQ 0
34 Italy Fabrizio Gollin Ret Ret Ret 13 0
35 Austria Markus Friesacher DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 17 DNQ DNQ Ret 19 DNQ 0
36 Italy Gianluca Paglicci 20 0
 – Spain Miguel Ángel de Castro DNQ 0
 – Austria Mario Waltner DNQ DNQ 0
United Kingdom Oliver Gavin DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
Pos Driver SIL
United Kingdom
PAU
France
HEL
Finland
NÜR
Germany
PER
Italy
HOC
Germany
A1R
Austria
SPA
Belgium
MUG
Italy
JER
Spain
Points
Sources:[9][10][11]
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest lap

Notes

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Complete Overview

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first column of every race 10 = grid position
second column of every race 10 = race result

R24=retired, but classified R=retired NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify NT=no time set in qualifying DIS(1)=disqualified after finishing as winner (13)=place after practice, but grid position not held free DIS=disqualified in practice

Place Name Team SIL
United Kingdom
PAU
France
HEL
Finland
NÜR
Germany
PER
Italy
HOC
Germany
OST
Austria
SPA
Belgium
MUG
Italy
JER
Spain
1 Brazil Ricardo Zonta SuperNova Racing 1 DIS(1) 8 R 8 R 1 1 2 2 2 1 2 2 5 5 1 1 1 R
2 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya RSM Marko 2 R 1 1 1 R 4 4 6 11 15 5 1 1 4 R 2 3 4 1
3 Denmark Jason Watt Den Blå Avis 3 4 15 12 (13) NS 3 2 8 R 5 4 9 R 2 1 4 2 6 R
4 United Kingdom Jamie Davies DAMS 23 3 4 3 2 R 13 8 1 1 6 3 24 9 15 8 DIS - 3 R
5 Brazil Max Wilson Edenbridge Racing 8 R 11 7 21 R 5 5 4 3 3 2 14 8 8 2 3 4 9 10
6 Denmark Tom Kristensen Auto Sport Racing 12 1 2 2 6 R 2 3 10 R 1 R 3 6 1 R DIS - 2 R
7 Austria Oliver Tichy Pacific Racing 7 8 9 8 3 2 17 9 9 R 17 7 16 5 21 R - -
Coloni Motorsport 7 2
8 France Soheil Ayari Team Astromega 4 R 5 6 9 1 8 19 13 R 8 R 6 10 3 R 7 6 8 R
9 France Laurent Rédon SuperNova Racing 10 R 3 4 11 R 7 21 11 6 9 R 5 3 9 14 6 5 16 11
10 Portugal Rui Águas Nordic Racing 5 R 12 9 18 5 12 7 7 R 4 R 8 4 17 9 13 12 10 5
11 Portugal Pedro Couceiro Draco Engineering 22 2 7 R 19 R 14 15 (12) NS 24 R 13 11 16 7 17 R 19 R
United Kingdom Dino Morelli DKS Racing 11 5 19 11 7 3 16 R24 - - - - - - - - - - - -
13 France Cyrille Sauvage Draco Engineering 13 7 6 5 4 R 15 R23 3 8 13 R 7 R 24 4 9 9 5 DIS(2)
14 France Patrick Lemarié Ravarotto Racing 25 6 17 13 13 4 11 13 - - 16 R - - - -
D C Cook Motorsport 19 14 27 NQ
France Boris Derichebourg Team Astromega 20 12 21 15 22 8 6 R 16 9 27 NQ 22 13 6 3 11 22 15 R
United Kingdom Gareth Rees Durango Formula 15 R 16 R 12 R 9 R22 20 16 19 11 18 R 11 R 5 7 11 3
17 Australia Craig Lowndes RSM Marko 6 14 14 R 20 R 23 R25 15 4 10 R 10 R 20 R 10 21 13 9
Belgium Kurt Mollekens KTR DIS - 13 10 5 R 32 NQ 12 5 26 6 12 R 18 R 24 R 21 R
South Africa Werner Lupberger Edenbridge Racing 26 11 28 NQ 30 NQ 19 18 21 R 23 14 15 R 10 13 14 11 14 4
20 South Africa Stephen Watson Durango Formula 21 15 25 NQ 15 6 18 16 19 7 18 12 21 R 7 6 18 15 22 R
21 United Kingdom Christian Horner Arden International 24 R16 33 NQ 29 NQ 33 NQ 30 NQ 29 NQ 25 16 27 NQ 22 17 24 6
22 Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Redman & Bright F3000 31 NQ - - 14 R 10 6 5 R 7 17 4 7 - - 8 8 12 R
- United Kingdom David Cook D C Cook Motorsport 14 R 31 NQ 24 7 30 NQ 26 R 30 NQ 26 14 22 R 16 R 26 7
- France Grégoire de Galzain DAMS 29 NQ 32 NQ 32 NQ 26 17 23 R 20 9 23 15 23 R DIS - 17 8
- Spain Marc Gené Pacific Racing 16 13 23 NQ - -
Nordic Racing 31 NQ 12 R10 11 8 - - - - - - 20 R
- France Anthony Beltoise Ravarotto Racing 17 R 18 R 16 9 22 14 22 12 21 13 17 R - - - - - -
- France Jean-Philippe Belloc Apomatox 19 9 22 R 17 R 24 20 - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Argentina Gastón Mazzacane Auto Sport Racing 9 10 24 NQ 23 R 20 10 17 15 12 10 11 17 19 11 12 10 18 R
- Norway Thomas Schie BSE Salisbury Engineering 32 NQ 20 14 26 NQ 28 NQ 28 NQ 22 15 27 NQ 13 10 23 18 25 R
- Argentina Emiliano Spataro Coloni Motorsport 32 NQ 29 NQ 27 NQ 21 11 24 13 25 16 23 15 20 12 15 R - -
- Italy Thomas Biagi Nordic Racing 28 NQ 26 NQ 31 NQ
GP Racing 27 NQ 18 14 14 18 19 R 25 R 20 16 23 12
- France Emmanuel Clérico Apomatox - - - - - - 25 12 - - - - - - - - - - - -
- United Kingdom James Taylor BSE Salisbury Engineering - - - - - - 34 NQ 29 NQ 31 NQ NT - 26 12 27 NQ 30 NQ
- Italy Fabrizio Gollin Apomatox 18 R 10 R 10 R - - - - - - - - - - 21 13 - -
- Austria Markus Friesacher Coloni Motorsport 27 NQ 30 NQ 28 NQ 29 NQ 25 17 28 NQ 28 NQ 14 R 26 19 28 NQ
- Italy Gianluca Paglicci Nordic Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25 20 - -
- United Kingdom Oliver Gavin BSE Salisbury Engineering 30 NQ 27 NQ 33 NQ - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- Austria Mario Waltner Nordic Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - 29 NQ 28 NQ - - - -
- Spain Miguel Ángel de Castro Elide Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 29 NQ

References

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  1. ^ "Classements 1997 - 1997 Classifications". 1999-02-23. Archived from the original on 1999-02-23. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  2. ^ Autocourse (1996). Autocourse Indy car, 1996-97. Hazleton Pub. ISBN 1-874557-07-1. OCLC 37423587.
  3. ^ a b "FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - 1997: Entrylist". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  4. ^ "F3000 International Championship Entry List 1997". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "F3000 International Championship Results 1997". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. ^ "1997 F3000 Nurburgring - Morelli Massive Crash". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
  7. ^ "1997 F3000 Spa - Huge Pile Up". Archived from the original on 2021-12-13.
  8. ^ "Mugello results". Archived from the original on 2018-09-06. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  9. ^ "F3000 International Championship Standings 1997". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  10. ^ "FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - Season 1997: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  11. ^ "1997 FIA International F3000 Championship". Motor Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
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