The FIA Formula 3 Championship unveiled the F3 2019 car to the international media in the Formula 1 paddock at the Yas Marina Circuit.
It will be raced in the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.
The racer, is the best compromise between the current GP3 Series and FIA European Formula 3 Championship cars.
It features a naturally aspirated 3.4 Mecachrome six cylinder which delivers 380HP at 8000rpm.
The intention was to find a middle ground between performance and cost effectiveness wherever possible.
Aerodynamics have been optimised to facilitate overtaking with very low ride height sensitivity and wide range of suspension set up possible.
Credit: FIA
The car underwent a successful shakedown at Magny-Cours back in October and completed 165 laps over the two weeks.
Over the remainder of the year a number of tests will run to continue the development work to accumulate sufficient mileage and ensure the reliability.
Three tests in December will be focused on performance testing.
Mid-January the teams will be handed their first machine with the second and third arriving in February.
There will be a shakedown with one car per team that same month to allow them to become acclimatised to it ahead of the first official test.
Pirelli is the official tyre supplier of the championship and has been integral to the design process to ensure continuity.
Three specific compound developed for the series to provide the most suitable compound for every circuit.
Charlie Whiting, FIA Race Director, said: “We are pleased to unveil the exciting new 2019 FIA Formula 3 car here in Abu Dhabi, marking the final step in the process of bringing the FIA Formula 3 Championship onto the same platform as Formula 2 and Formula 1, which has been an important goal for the FIA.
Credit: FIA
Bruno Michel, CEO of Formula 2 and the new F3 series, said: “I am very pleased to present the F3 2019 car which will race in the first three year cycle of the FIA Formula 3 Championship. Our focus was to provide a safe and challenging car which will enable close racing and encourage overtaking. When designing this car, we also kept in mind cost effectiveness in order to limit operational costs for the teams, but also deliver an attractive package.
“I am very confident that this car which matches the FIA Formula 3 2019 safety standards will deliver great racing and provide the fans with high-quality entertainment. It is the perfect tool for young drivers to make their way up the motorsport ladder with the goal to graduate to Formula 2 and ultimately, hopefully, race in Formula 1.”
The F3 2019 is compliant with all the FIA safety rules: static tests, crash tests, anti-intrusion panels, steel halo, and wheel tether cables.
The chassis has been built by Dallara, with the monocoque complying to safety standards.
It features a sequential gearbox, an electro-hydraulic gear shift system, high speed data acquisition system but no telemetry, DRS and an F1 type Virtual Safety Car System.
