SRO Motorsports Group have announced an expanded Cooper Tires British F3 International Series campaign for next season, with four more British rounds amongst the seven-round provisional 2014 calendar.
While visits to Brands Hatch GP circuit, Silverstone and the single trip outside the UK to Belgian’s Spa-Francorchamps will remain on the bill for 2014, the new calendar will see the series return to the majority of Britain’s race tracks as the championship rebuilds itself from a challenging winter that led to the 2013 season being limited to four events.
The 2014 series kicks off at Rockingham in early May before visiting Silverstone’s Grand Prix circuit, Snetterton, Spa, Thruxton, Brands Hatch and finally Donington Park, the stop-off at Belgium supporting the Spa 24 Hours. The weekend format remains unmodified with three 30-minute races, the second race grid being a reversal of the first race finishers from a position selected at random by the opening race winner.
Series promoters SRO had originally intended to run six events for the following season, but the addition of Thruxton to the list expands the calendar and sees the series return to the Hampshire circuit after a three-year absence.
The championship will attempt to rejuvinate itself with the implementation of current and 2008-11 generation machinery, using the existing engines while the opposing F3 European Championship counterpart’s powerplants are modfified.
Stephane Ratel, Founder and CEO of SRO Motorsports Group Ltd, said that the new-look calendar is positive news towards the championship’s revival, commenting: “This calendar has been created in consultation with the teams and FOTA and we believe it is an exciting prospect for new and existing drivers and teams, and the addition of Thruxton to the calendar after several years is something we know will help attract new entries into British F3.
“It is important for British F3 to grow-up and find it’s place in this new era of motorsport. This calendar and the details we announced in Spa in July are the correct course of action to allow it to mature and not just preserve its existing heritage, but add new champions and create more history.”
The 2014 British F3 Championship calendar (Provisional):
Rockingham (GBR) 03-04 May 2014
Silverstone GP (GBR) TBC
Snetterton 300 (GBR) 21-22 June 2014
Spa-Francorchamps (BEL) 24-27 July 2014 *
Thruxton (GBR) TBC
Brands Hatch GP (GBR) 30-31 August 2014
Donington Park GP (GBR) 13-14 September 2014
*Supports the Total 24 Hours of Spa