Formula Three

Formula Three, also called Formula 3 or, in abbreviated form, F3, is a type of formula racing and a class of auto racing. It is widely accepted as an important step for drivers towards Formula One. While a few drivers have gone on to drive in open-wheeled motorsports premier category since the inception of Formula Three without driving one, the majority have spent time in the cockpit of these cheap, fast, entry-level race cars.

History

The history of Formula Three traces back to postwar auto racing, with lightweight tube-frame chassis being powered by 500cc motorcycle powerplants (notably from Norton. The 500cc formula originally evolved from low-cost 'special' racing organised by enthusiasts in Bristol just before the Second World War - British racing after the War picked up slowly and home-built 500cc motorbike-engined cars were affordable. Although the formula was originally seen as one for the special-bulder, Cooper Car Company came to dominate with mass-produced cars; other notable marques included Kieft and Emeryson.

Related Topics:
Auto racing - Motorcycle - Norton - Bristol - Second World War - Cooper Car Company - Kieft - Emeryson

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Formula Three was in abeyance from the late 1950s to 1963; both it and (eventually) Formula Two were replaced by Formula Junior for 1000 or 1100cc cars (on a sliding scale of weights).

Related Topics:
Formula Two - Formula Junior

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A one-litre Formula Three for four-cylinder cars with tuned production engines was reintroduced in 1964 and ran to 1970. These engines (the Cosworth tuned Ford Anglia being by far the most popular) tended to rev very highly and were popularly known as 'screamers'; F3 races tended to involve large packs of slipstreaming cars. The "screamer" years were dominated by Brabham and Lotus, with March beginning in 1970.

Related Topics:
Cosworth - Ford Anglia - Brabham - Lotus - March

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For 1971 new regulations allowing 1600cc engines with a restricted air intake were introduced. The 1971-73 seasons were contested with these 1600cc cars and aerodynamics started to become important.

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Two-litre rules were introduced for 1974, still with restricted air intakes. As of today engine regulations remains unchanged in F3, a noticeable case of stability in auto racing.

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As the likes of Lotus and Brabham faded from F3 to concentrate on Formula One, F3 constructors of the 1970s included Alpine, Lola, March, Modus, GRD, Ralt and Ensign.

Related Topics:
Lotus - Brabham - Formula One - Alpine - Lola - March - Modus - GRD - Ralt - Ensign

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Historically, March (up to 1981), Ralt (up to the early 1990s) and Reynard (1985-1992) had been the main chassis manufacturers in two-litre F3, with Martini fairly strong in France; Dallara, after an unsuccessful Formula One project, focussed their attention on the formula in the early nineties and almost obliterated all other marques.

Related Topics:
Reynard - Martini - Dallara - Formula One

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By the start of the 1980’s however, Formula Three had evolved well beyond those beginnings to something closely resembling the modern formula. Ground effect chassis were briefly used in the early 1980s but were banned, in line with other FIA single-seater formulae.

Related Topics:
1980 - Ground effect - FIA

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