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GB3 Championship

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

GB3 Championship
CategorySingle seaters
CountryUnited Kingdom
Inaugural season2013
ConstructorsTatuus
Engine suppliersFord Duratec
Tyre suppliersPirelli
Drivers' championNew Zealand Louis Sharp
Official websitewww.gb-3.net
Current season

The GB3 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, the GB4 Championship or Karting. Having previously been known since 2013 as the BRDC Formula 4 Championship, the championship was renamed the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with the backing of the FIA in March 2016.[1] The championship was rebranded to GB3 Championship in August 2021.[2]

History

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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.[3]

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.[4]

The cars are around the same pace as the previous FIA F3 specification car used prior to the series folding in 2014.[4]

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.[5]

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. Subsequent champions were Clement Novalak and Kaylen Frederick, both driving for Carlin.

In August 2021 the series was renamed as GB3 Championship; British racing driver Zak O'Sullivan was the first to win the title under the new name.[6] The following month, MSV announced a new support series would be launched with the GB4 Championship.[7]

Shortly after the rebrand, the series announced a new car would be used for 2022, the Tatuus MSV-022, with performance and safety upgrades including the addition of the halo.[8] The new car has proven to be around two to three seconds a lap quicker than its predecessor.[9]

For 2025, the series will introduce the Tatuus MSV GB3-025, which will feature "F1-inspired aero", DRS and a new Mountune 2.0L generating 280bhp, among other changes.[10]

Chassis specifications

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GB3 Championship Car

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Tatuus MSV-022
Constructor Tatuus
Engine 2.0L Duratec
Valvetrain
Lubrication Dry sump
Torque
Horsepower 250 bhp spec
Engine management Cosworth
Ignition system
Transmission Sadev SL75 LW 6-speed sequential
Suspension Double wishbone Pushrod
Chassis Carbon-fibre
Tires Pirelli (2015)
Brakes AP Racing 4-piston calipers
Wheelbase 2760 mm
Front track 1514 mm
Rear track 1485 mm
Weight 598 kg including driver

The Tatuus MSV-022 car is a significantly more powerful car than Formula 4 machinery, with a more sophisticated aerodynamic package and increased downforce which elevates its pace to equivalent to Formula Regional European Championship cars.

The car utilises a carbon-fibre Tatuus chassis equipped with the Halo and is powered by a two-litre normally aspirated 250bhp spec Mountune engine. The MSV-022 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, and underfloor aerodynamics.

It features a six-speed sequential gearbox with paddle shift provided by Sadev and fitted with a limited-slip differential, unique to GB3.

Pirelli provides both dry and wet tyres to the GB3 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

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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

In the reverse grid races, an extra point is awarded per position gained compared to each drivers' starting position.

Champions

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Operating under 750 Motor Club

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All champions were British-registered.

Season Champion Class A2 Class B Class C Class D Class E
2006 United Kingdom Chris Lewis United Kingdom Chris Vinall United Kingdom Peter Monk United Kingdom Paul Rider United Kingdom Malcolm Scott
2007 United Kingdom Steve Savage United Kingdom Chris Kite United Kingdom Clive Yorath United Kingdom Stuart Wright United Kingdom Jennifer Scott
2008 United Kingdom Jeremy Walker United Kingdom Clive Yorath United Kingdom Oliver Sirrell
2009 United Kingdom Jonathan Weston-Taylor [11] United Kingdom Will Thompson

(As Revelation Series)

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

BRDC Formula 4 Championship

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

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship

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Season Champion Secondary champion
2016 Brazil Matheus Leist J: United Kingdom Ricky Collard
A:United Kingdom Enaam Ahmed
2017 United Kingdom Enaam Ahmed J: United Kingdom Enaam Ahmed
D:United Kingdom Carlin
2018 Sweden Linus Lundqvist not awarded
2019 United Kingdom Clément Novalak[a]
2020 United States Kaylen Frederick

GB3 Championship

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Season Champion Secondary champion
2021 United Kingdom Zak O'Sullivan not awarded
2022 United Kingdom Luke Browning
2023 United Kingdom Callum Voisin
2024 New Zealand Louis Sharp[12]

Notes

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

References

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  1. ^ "British F3 is back!". Archived from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 11 May 2016.
  2. ^ "British F3 rebranded as GB3 Championship". GB3 Championship. 2 August 2021. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021.
  3. ^ BRDC Formula 4's British Formula 3 rebrand goes ahead for 2016 – Autosport, 23 March 2016
  4. ^ a b The Tatuus-Cosworth BRDC British F3 Car Archived 3 December 2020 at the Wayback Machine – BRDC British F3, 17 January 2018
  5. ^ BRDC F4 becomes British F3 on eve of 2016 season – PaddockScout, 23 March 2016
  6. ^ "GB3 - Race 1: O'Sullivan wins the title in style with lights to flag victory". GB3 Championship. 16 October 2021. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  7. ^ "NEWS: NEW GB4 CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2022". 7 September 2021. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  8. ^ "GB3 to introduce new halo-shod car for 2022". 15 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Things you may have missed from the Oulton Park". GB3 Homepage. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  10. ^ Brabner, George (12 June 2024). "GB3 to introduce 'F1-inspired' Tatuus car for 2025 season". Feeder Series. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  11. ^ "Jonathan Weston Taylor Clinches 2009 Title". Archived from the original on 12 December 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  12. ^ https://www.gb-3.net/news/2024/sept/29/thoughts-of-a-champion-louis-sharp
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