Formula Three was adopted by the FIA in 1950, evolving from postwar auto racing built around lightweight tube-frame chassis powered by 500 cc motorcycle engines, notably Nortons and JAP speedway units. The 500 cc formula itself originated in 1946 from low-cost "special" racing organised by enthusiasts in Bristol, England, just before the Second World War. British motorsport resumed slowly after the war, partly because petrol rationing continued for several years, and the home-built 500 cc cars were intended to be accessible to the "impecunious enthusiast." The second post-war motor race in Britain was organised by the VSCC in July 1947 at RAF Gransden Lodge, with 500 cc cars the only post-war class running that day. Of the four runners, all but one retired on the first lap, leaving Eric Brandon in his Cooper Prototype (T2) to a virtual walk-over at an average speed of 55.79 mph (89.79 km/h), his best lap of 65.38 mph (105.22 km/h) being the fastest recorded for any 500.
Cooper came to dominate the formula with mass-produced cars, and the income this generated enabled the company to develop into the senior categories. Other notable marques included Kieft, JBS and Emeryson in England, and Effyh, Monopoletta and Scampolo in Europe. John Cooper, along with most other 500 builders, placed the engine in the middle of the car, driving the rear wheels. This configuration, largely a consequence of the practical limitations of chain drive, gave these cars exceptionally good handling characteristics that eventually led to the mid-engined revolution in single-seater racing.
The 500 cc formula was the usual route into motor racing through the early and mid-1950s, and stars like Stirling Moss continued to enter selected F3 events even during their Grand Prix careers. Other notable 500 cc Formula 3 drivers include Stuart Lewis-Evans, Ivor Bueb, Jim Russell, Peter Collins, Don Parker, Ken Tyrrell, and Bernie Ecclestone.
From a statistical point of view, Parker was the most successful F3 driver. Although he came to motor racing late in life, at age 41 in 1949, he won a total of 126 F3 races and was described by Motor Sport magazine, in his 1998 obituary, as "the most successful Formula 3 driver in history." Although Stirling Moss was already a star by 1953, Parker beat him more than any other driver, and was Formula 3 Champion in 1952 and again in 1953; in 1954 he lost the title only by a half-point, and he took it for a third time in 1959.
500 cc Formula Three declined at international level during the late 1950s, though it continued at a national level into the early 1960s, being eclipsed by Formula Junior for 1000 or 1100 cc cars. A one-litre Formula Three category for four-cylinder carburetted cars, with heavily tuned production engines, was reintroduced in 1964 based on the Formula Junior rules and ran to 1970. These engines — a short-stroke unit based on the Ford Anglia with a special two-valve Cosworth or Holbay OHV down-draught head, pioneered by Brian Hart and by far the most efficient and popular — revved 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, Lotus and Tecno, with March beginning in 1970. Early one-litre F3 chassis tended to descend from Formula Junior designs but quickly evolved.
For 1971, new regulations allowing 1600 cc engines with a restricted air intake were introduced, and the 1971–73 seasons were contested with these cars as aerodynamics started to become important. Two-litre engine rules were introduced for 1974, still with restricted air intakes. Engine regulations have since remained basically unchanged in F3, a remarkable case of stability in racing regulations. 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.
By the start of the 1980s, Formula Three had evolved well beyond its humble beginnings to something closely resembling the modern formula. It was seen as the main training ground for future Formula One drivers, many bypassing Formula Two to go straight into Grand Prix racing. Chassis became increasingly sophisticated, mirroring the more senior formulae; ground effects were briefly used in the early 1980s but were banned in line with other FIA single-seater formulae, and carbon fibre chassis began to be introduced from the mid-1980s.
Historically, March (up to 1981), Ralt (up to the early 1990s) and Reynard (1985–1992) were the main chassis manufacturers in two-litre F3, with Martini fairly strong in France. Reynard pioneered the use of carbon fibre in the mid-1980s, replacing traditional aluminium or steel monocoque structures. Dallara, however, after an unsuccessful Formula One project, focused on the formula in the early 1990s and obliterated all the other marques with their F393. Within a couple of years the chassis was considered a prerequisite to competitiveness, and Dallara chassis became ubiquitous to the formula. To keep costs down, their chassis have had a three-year life-cycle with only minor annual updates; the F308's life-cycle was extended to four years to assist teams, and that chassis was replaced in 2012 by the F312, intended to run until 2017. Most F3 championships, most notably the British series, offer a secondary class for cars from the previous life-cycle to provide a cheap point of entry for lesser-funded teams and drivers.
Formula Three cars are monocoque chassis using slick racing tyres and wings. Dallara manufactures the overwhelming majority of F3 cars, though Mygale, Lola (formerly in partnership with Dome of Japan), Arttech and SLC also have a limited output. In many smaller or amateur F3 series, older cars are frequently seen, usually divided into two or more classes to allow more participation.
Engines in FIA Formula 3 are all 3.4-litre, six-cylinder naturally aspirated spec engines. Engines in other Formula 3 series must be built from a production model block (stock block) and often must be sealed by race or series organizers so no private tuning can be carried out. Honda engines prepared by Mugen have perennially been popular, as have engines produced by Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, or Renault. The HWA-tuned Mercedes and Volkswagen engines have dominated the British and European series, with Mugen, TOM'S–Toyota, Opel and Fiat used by some teams.
Car regulations specify a maximum width of 1,150 mm (45.3 in), a minimum wheelbase of 2,000 mm (79 in), a minimum track of 1,200 mm (47 in), and a minimum weight of 550 kg (1,210 lb) including the driver. Active suspension, telemetry and traction control are forbidden; cars are limited to two-wheel steering and two-wheel (rear-wheel) drive, with a sequential paddle-shift gearbox of a maximum six forward gears and one reverse, and undrilled ferrous brakes. Wheels have a maximum width of 9.5 in (240 mm) and diameter of 13 in (330 mm). Fuel capacity is 45 litres (12 US gallons), controlled from a single supplier but of a standard comparable to pump/street gasoline. A stock-derived 2.0 L (122 cu in) engine with a 28 mm (1.1 in) width restrictor produces about 260 hp for regional Formula 3, while the 3.4 L (207 cu in) engine for international Formula 3 produces about 380 hp (280 kW).
Until the launch of the FIA Formula 3 Championship in 2019, there had never been a World Championship for Formula Three. In the 1970s and into the 1980s the European Formula Three Championship and British Formula 3 Championship (once one series had emerged from the competing British series in the 1970s) were the most prominent, with a number of future Formula One champions coming from them. France, Germany and Italy also had important Formula Three series, but interest in these was originally subsidiary to national formulae — Formula Renault in France and Formula Super Vee in Germany — before these nations drifted towards Formula Three. The Italian series tended to attract older drivers who moved straight across from karting, whereas in other nations drivers typically graduated to F3 after a couple of years in minor categories. The European series died out in the mid-1980s and the national series became correspondingly more important; for 2003, French and German F3, both suffering from a lack of competitive entrants, merged to recreate the Formula 3 Euro Series.
Brazil's SudAm Formula Three Championship, which now has the most powerful engine of all Formula Three series, was known for producing excellent drivers who polished their skills in the British Formula 3 championship. The small All-Japan Formula Three Championship was also notable; although few drivers spent significant time there, future stars such as Ralf Schumacher and Jacques Villeneuve scored victories there. An Asian series was established in 2001 and grew to produce past A1 drivers for Indonesia and Australia.
In addition to the many national series, Formula Three is known for major non-championship races typically including entries from the national series. The best known is the FIA Formula 3 World Cup (previously the FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup) at Macau. The first Formula Three Grand Prix of Macau was held in 1983 and won by Ayrton Senna; Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Ralf Schumacher and Takuma Sato have also won there. The event traditionally marks the end of the Formula Three season, with drivers from almost every national series participating.
Other major races include the Pau Grand Prix (from 1999 to 2006), the Masters of Formula 3 (traditionally held at Zandvoort), and the Korea Super Prix at Changwon. These events give fans in locations not visited by other major series a way to experience major international racing. The Monaco F3 Grand Prix held until 1997 was also a famous special race; it was restored in 2005 only, as part of the F3 Euro Series.
This article is based solely on the supplied corpus. No external sources were consulted; claims that could not be substantiated against the corpus were omitted under the drop-the-claim rule.
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