A new FIA Formula 3 Championship is to be introduced in 2019.
The championship will be hosted on the FIA Formula One World Championship platform on an international level.
It will feature an all-new car, with a single supplier for chassis, engines and tyres to be selected by the FIA in collaboration with Formula 1.
This move will provide an unparalleled route to F1 for young drivers working their way up the FIA’s single-seater pyramid, which now spans the full spectrum of the discipline from karting to FIA-certified Formula 4, regional Formula 3, Formula 3, Formula 2 and F1.
It is expected the new international series will replace the current GP3 Series.
Having the top three tiers of FIA single-seater competition racing together on the same weekends will make it easier for fans to follow the careers of aspiring young drivers.
The grid will be made up of a maximum of 30 cars, with the championship planned to run between nine and ten events – with two races per event.
As well, the new car will integrate the latest FIA safety technologies, making it the benchmark in safety standards. Cost control is key element of the new FIA Formula 3 Championship, and in addition to the use of common components there will be limited, regulated testing, as well as limitations on trackside personnel and the use of electronics and sensors.
“The FIA has been refining the single-seater pyramid with great care over recent years, and the new FIA Formula 3 Championship achieves an important goal of putting the top three FIA single-seater competitions on the same platform,” said FIA Single-Seater Commission President, Stefano Domenicali. “This has great advantages for fans and competitors alike, as graduates of FIA-certified national and regional competitions have a clear first step into international racing, while spectators and viewers watching Formula One will be able to see a broader spectrum of future stars on their way to the pinnacle of our sport. Formula 3 has a long and rich heritage as a key category where the skills to reach the top are developed, and now with Formula 1 as the promoter, I’m sure it will continue to flourish.”
The new international championship will sit above the newly introduced regional championships, as a first step into a global racing series. Two of these regional competitions will begin in 2018 in Asia and the Americas, it is anticipated that more F3 regional championship will be proposed by ASNs, which will again feature a single-make car with a single-make engine.
ASNs will be free to choose from the homologated FIA suppliers, subject to compliance with the FIA regulations and cost guidelines.
ORECA have put themselves into a position for them to be called upon by an ASN to supply cars for the new F3 regional championships, by tweeting their enthusiasm for the new series’ hitting track in 2019.
