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Australian Formula 3

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Australian Formula 3
CategoryOpen Wheel Racing
Formula 3
CountryAustralia
Inaugural season1964 (first era)
1999 (modern era)
Folded1977 (first era)
Drivers23
Teams10
ConstructorsDallara
Mygale
Engine suppliers2.0 litre Inline 4
Tyre suppliersHankook
Last Drivers' championAustralia John Magro
Official websiteformula3.com.au
Current season

Australian Formula 3 has been the name applied to two distinctly different motor racing categories, separated by over twenty years.

The original Australian Formula 3 was introduced in 1964 based on the FIA Formula 3 of the period and intended as a cost-efficient open wheel category to run at state level for amateur racers. It was discontinued at the end of 1977.

Formula 3 was reintroduced to Australia in 1999, again based on FIA Formula 3. An Australian Formula 3 Championship was sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport for the first time in 2001. From 2005 to 2014 the Australian Drivers' Championship title (CAMS Gold Star) was also awarded to the winner of the championship. For 2015 the series reverted to the single title of Australian Formula 3 Championship. Following the withdrawal of national championship status, an Australian Formula 3 Premier Series has been contested since 2016.

History – The First Era

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Elfin 623 AF3 car of 1972–1974

The Australian Formula 3 category was introduced by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in 1964 as the fourth tier of formula car racing in Australia, below the Australian National Formula, the Australian 1½ Litre Formula and Australian Formula 2. Initially the formula was as per FIA Formula 3,[1] with cars restricted to using production based engines of under 1000cc capacity with overhead camshafts not permitted.[2] For 1969 the engine capacity limit was increased to 1100cc and the prohibition on overhead camshafts was removed. 1972 saw the engine capacity limit lifted to 1300cc. 1977 was to be the last year of the first era of Australian Formula 3 as the category was discontinued at the end of the season.[3] Formula 3 was never run under national championship status, although there were State Championships and the Stillwell Series.[4]

History – The Modern Era

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Bruno Senna drives a Dallara F304 F3 car during a support race at the 2006 Australian GP

The modern era began when 2 Litre Formula 3 cars were introduced into Australia in 1999, competing alongside 1600cc Australian Formula 2 cars in the Australian Formula 2 National Series. [5] In the following year CAMS introduced FIA specifications for Formula 3 cars in Australia and Formula 3 drivers now had their own Formula 3 National Series.[6] Agreement was reached with CAMS to grant National Championship status to the Formula 3 Series for 2001[7] and it officially became the Australian Formula 3 Championship in that year.[8] By the 2005 season CAMS had decreed that Australian Formula 3 was now Australia's premier open-wheel racing car class (displacing Formula 4000) and as such the Australian Drivers' Championship title (and the associated CAMS Gold Star) would be awarded on the results of the Australian Formula 3 Championship.[9]

List of Champions

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Following the running of a National Series in 1999 and 2000, official national title status was granted by the Confederation of Australian Motorsport from 2001 onwards. From 2005 to 2014 the winner of the Australian Formula 3 Championship was also awarded the CAMS Gold Star and the Australian Drivers' Championship title. In 2015 CAMS stripped the Gold Star Award from the Australian Formula 3 Championship citing low grid numbers. With the loss of national championship status for 2016 the series was renamed the Australian Formula 3 Premier Series. Aligning with the Australian Motor Racing Series from 2019 the series returned to National Championship status.

Paul Stephenson 1999 Australian F3 National Series Champion
Ben Clucas (Dallara F304), winner of the 2006 championship
Ben Barker (Dallara F307), winner of the 2010 championship.
Jon Collins (Dallara F311), winner of the 2015 championship

Australian Formula 3 National Series

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Season Series Winner Vehicle Team
1999 Australia Paul Stephenson[10] Dallara F396 – TOM'S Toyota Titan
2000 Australia Paul Stephenson[11] Dallara F396 – TOM'S Toyota Titan

Australian Formula 3 Championship

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Season Champion[8] Vehicle Team
2001 Australia Peter Hackett Dallara F301 – Alfa Romeo Piccola Scuderia
2002 Australia James Manderson Dallara F301 – Spiess Opel Team BRM
2003 Australia Michael Caruso Dallara F301 – Novamotor Fiat Piccola Scuderia
2004 Australia Karl Reindler Dallara F301 – Spiess Opel Team BRM

Australian Formula 3 Championship / Australian Drivers' Championship

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Season Champion[8] Vehicle Team
2005 Australia Aaron Caratti Dallara F304 – Sodemo Renault Insight F3
2006 United Kingdom Ben Clucas Dallara F304 – Sodemo Renault Team BRM
2007 Australia Tim Macrow Dallara F304 – Spiess Opel Cooltemp Racing/Scud Racing
2008 United Kingdom James Winslow Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Astuti Motorsport/Team BRM
2009 United Kingdom Joey Foster Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Team BRM
2010 United Kingdom Ben Barker Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Team BRM
2011 Australia Chris Gilmour Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Gilmour Racing
2012 United Kingdom James Winslow Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz R-Tek Motorsport
2013 Australia Tim Macrow Dallara F307 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Team BRM
2014 Australia Simon Hodge Mygale M11 – HWA-Mercedes-Benz Team BRM

Australian Formula 3 Championship

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The Australian Formula 3 Championship was renamed the Australian Formula 3 Premier Series by Formula 3 Management Pty Ltd from 2016 to 2018, returning to Australian Formula 3 Championship from 2019.

Season Champion[8] Vehicle Team
2015 Australia John Collins[12] Dallara F311 – Mercedes-Benz Gilmour Racing
2016 Australia Tim Macrow Dallara F307 – Mercedes-Benz Alpine Motorsport
2017 Australia Calan Williams Dallara F311 – Mercedes-Benz Gilmour Racing
2018 Australia Harri Jones Dallara F311 – Mercedes-Benz Jones Motorsport
2019 Australia John Magro Dallara F311 – Mercedes-Benz R-Tek Motorsport
2020 Not held due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions
2021 Not awarded. Only one round held due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Australia Noah Sands Dallara F311 – Mercedes-Benz Gilmour Racing

Australian Formula Open Championship

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Australian Formula 3 Premier Series was renamed the Australian Formula Open Championship to get in line with the Euroformula Open Championship running not just Formula 3 cars, but other classes.

Season Champion Vehicle Team
2023 Australia Trent Grubel Dallara F312 – Mercedes-Benz Tim Macrow Racing
2024 Australia Ryan MacMillan Dallara F308/11 Tim Macrow Racing

List of constructors in Australian Formula 3

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AF3 Cheetah Mk6

Cars built by the following constructors have raced in Australian Formula 3

Historic Era

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Modern Era

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References

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  1. ^ CAMS Official Organ, Racing Car News, December 1963, page 23
  2. ^ Australian Motor Manual, May 1965, pages 31&34
  3. ^ The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 172
  4. ^ Chequered Flag, May 1981, page 33
  5. ^ 2 LITRE ENGINES VINDICATED – 31/5/1999 Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008
  6. ^ FIA FORMULA 3 ACCEPTED IN AUSTRALIA – 30/4/2000 Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008. .
  7. ^ CHAMPIONSHIP AGREEMENT REACHED – 18/3/2001 Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008.
  8. ^ a b c d Australian Titles Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 21 July 2009.
  9. ^ FORMULA 3 TO RACE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2005 Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008.
  10. ^ F2/F3 NATIONAL SERIES TO BE DECIDED AT PHILLIP ISLAND Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 July 2009
  11. ^ NATIONAL SERIES WRAPPED UP AT THE ISLAND – 26/11/2000 Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008
  12. ^ Tom Howard, Friday 11 November 2016, Appeal dismissal hands Collins 2015 Aus F3 title, www.speedcafe.com Retrieved 11 November 2016
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