1998 International Formula 3000 Championship

The 1998 International Formula 3000 Championship was the thirty-second season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also fourteenth season under the International Formula 3000 Championship moniker. The championship was contested over twelve rounds from 11 April to 26 September 1998. The Drivers' Championship was won by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya of Super Nova Racing, who won four races.

Several cars racing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Drivers and teams

Team No. Driver Rounds
United Kingdom Super Nova Racing 1 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya All
2 France Boris Derichebourg All
Denmark Den Blå Avis 3 Denmark Jason Watt All
4 United Kingdom Gareth Rees All
United Kingdom Edenbridge Racing 5 Brazil Max Wilson All
6 South Africa Werner Lupberger All
France DAMS 7 United Kingdom Jamie Davies All
8 France Grégoire de Galzain All
Italy Auto Sport Racing 9 Portugal Rui Águas 1
United Kingdom Dino Morelli 2-5
Czech Republic Tomáš Enge 8-12
10 Italy Oliver Martini All
Belgium Team Astromega 11 Argentina Gastón Mazzacane All
12 Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez All
Italy Draco Engineering 14 Brazil Bruno Junqueira All
15 Italy Giovanni Montanari All
United Kingdom Nordic Racing 16 France Fabrice Walfisch All
17 Argentina Brian Smith 1-6
United Kingdom Kevin McGarrity 7-9
Japan Hidetoshi Mitsusada 10-12
Italy Coloni Motorsport 18 Italy Giorgio Vinella 1-7, 9-12
Portugal Rui Águas 8
19 Italy Thomas Biagi 1-2
Portugal Rui Águas 3-6
Austria Oliver Tichy 7-12
Italy Durango Formula 20 Canada Bertrand Godin All
21 France Soheil Ayari All
United Kingdom Arden Racing
Belgium KTR
22 United Kingdom Christian Horner All
23 Belgium Kurt Mollekens 1-8, 10-12
United Kingdom Redman & Bright F3000 24 United Kingdom Jonny Kane 1-4
United Kingdom David Cook 7-9
25 United Kingdom Mark Shaw All
United Kingdom Bob Salisbury Engineering 26 United Kingdom Dino Morelli None, on entry list only
27 United Kingdom James Taylor None, on entry list only
France Apomatox 28 France Stéphane Sarrazin All
29 Brazil Marcelo Battistuzzi All
United Kingdom West Competition 30 Germany Nick Heidfeld All
31 France Nicolas Minassian 1-11
Belgium Bas Leinders 12
France RTL Team Oreca 32 Germany Alex Müller All
33 Germany Dominik Schwager All
Italy Prema Powerteam 34 Portugal André Couto All
35 Brazil André Gaidzinski None, on entry list only
Italy Paolo Ruberti 1-6
Italy Thomas Biagi 7-12
Italy GP Racing 36 Italy Paolo Ruberti None, on entry list only
France Cyrille Sauvage 1-10
United Kingdom James Taylor 11-12
United Kingdom Raceprep Motorsport 37 United Kingdom Kevin McGarrity 1-5
Italy G. S. Team 38 Italy Fabrizio Gollin All
39 France Cyrille Sauvage None, on entry list only
Spain Elide Racing 40 Spain Polo Villaamil 1, 3

Calendar

1998 was the last International F3000 season where races were held independently from Formula One Grands Prix. Pau and Pergusa had held International F3000 and previously European Formula Two Championship races uninterruptedly since 1972.

RoundCircuitDateLapsDistanceTimeSpeedPole PositionFastest LapWinnerWinning TeamReport
1 Germany Motorsport Arena Oschersleben 10 April 56 3.667=205.352 km 1'24:52.384 145.171 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya France Stéphane Sarrazin France Apomatox Report
2 Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari 25 April 42 4.93=207.06 km 1'16:38.513 162.099 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Denmark Jason Watt Denmark Den Blå Avis Report
3 Spain Circuit de Catalunya 9 May 44 4.728=208.032 km 1'12:50.057 171.272 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Germany Nick Heidfeld Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
4 United Kingdom Silverstone Circuit 16 May 40 5.14=205.60 km 1'10:08.886 175.857 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
5 Monaco Circuit de Monaco 23 May 50 3.367=168.35 km 1'18:04.956 129.363 km/h Denmark Jason Watt Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Germany Nick Heidfeld United Kingdom West Competition Report
6 France Pau Grand Prix 1 June 75 2.76=207.00 km 1'33:10.179 133.305 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
7 Austria A1-Ring 25 July 43 4.319=185.717 km 1'11:04.222 175.019 km/h France Soheil Ayari France Soheil Ayari France Soheil Ayari Italy Durango Formula Report
8 Germany Hockenheimring 1 August 31 6.823=211.513 km 1'12:57.599 173.942 km/h Germany Nick Heidfeld Germany Nick Heidfeld Germany Nick Heidfeld United Kingdom West Competition Report
9 Hungary Budapest 15 August 52 3.972=206.544 km 1'20:14.689 154.435 km/h France Stéphane Sarrazin Germany Nick Heidfeld Germany Nick Heidfeld United Kingdom West Competition Report
10 Belgium Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 29 August 29 6.968=202.072 km 1'03:10.530 191.900 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya France Soheil Ayari Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Belgium Team Astromega Report
11 Italy Autodromo di Pergusa 6 September 41 4.95=202.95 km 1'04:29.540 188.813 km/h Germany Nick Heidfeld Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya United Kingdom Super Nova Racing Report
12 Germany Nürburgring 26 September 45 4.556=205.02 km 1'12:37.085 169.381 km/h Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Belgium Team Astromega Report

Season summary

After winning the 1997 championship with Ricardo Zonta, Super Nova Racing chose to recruit championship runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya to lead their main team, and also expanded their second Den Blå Avis team to two cars by hiring Gareth Rees to partner Jason Watt. Montoya's former team RSM Marko did not compete in 1998, but there were new entries from GT specialists Oreca and the new West Competition team, established as a McLaren junior team and run by former Williams race engineer David Brown.

With seven pole positions, Montoya was the fastest man in the championship all season, but a poor start to the season left him trailing several title rivals. In the event, the championship turned into a duel between the Colombian and newcomer Nick Heidfeld, who remained consistent throughout the season despite his relative inexperience. Watt often matched their pace but made several key mistakes costing him points, while Uruguay's Gonzalo Rodriguez finished the season strongly with two wins in the last three races, becoming the first driver from the South American nation to win a Formula 3000 event.

Montoya led Heidfeld by three points going into the final round at the Nürburgring. However, after qualifying second on the grid, Heidfeld's times were deleted and he was relegated to the back of the grid, only making the race after Brown withdrew his new teammate Bas Leinders from the event. Despite recovering through the field, Heidfeld failed to climb into the top six, and Montoya's third-place finish clinched him the championship. Rodriguez beat Watt to the race win and third place in the standings.

Montoya moved to the North American CART series for 1999 with Chip Ganassi Racing, going on to win the championship as a rookie. He went on to graduate to Formula One with Williams in 2001, and became the only International Formula 3000 champion to win more than one grand prix in his career. The only driver from the field to participate in Formula One in 1999 was Stéphane Sarrazin, who secured a one-off drive in the Brazilian Grand Prix for Minardi in place of the injured Luca Badoer. Most of the leading Formula 3000 drivers instead remained in the series for 1999.

Drivers' Championship

Tomas Enge placed 22nd in the championship driving for Auto Sport Racing
Pos Driver OSC
Germany
IML
Italy
CAT
Spain
SIL
United Kingdom
MON
Monaco
PAU
France
A1R
Austria
HOC
Germany
HUN
Hungary
SPA
Belgium
PER
Italy
NÜR
Germany
Points
1 Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya 15 Ret 1 1 6 1 2 3 3 2 1 3 65
2 Germany Nick Heidfeld 2 4 26 2 1 3 7 1 1 4 2 9 58
3 Uruguay Gonzalo Rodríguez Ret 3 21 Ret 2 Ret 4 11 7 1 Ret 1 33
4 Denmark Jason Watt 7 1 7 3 Ret Ret 3 2 10 8 Ret 2 30
5 France Soheil Ayari Ret Ret 5 Ret DNQ Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 3 Ret 20
6 France Stéphane Sarrazin 1 24 15 24 4 Ret 8 Ret 2 Ret Ret 19 19
7 Belgium Kurt Mollekens Ret 2 2 8 5 5 10 Ret DNQ 8 4 19
8 United Kingdom Gareth Rees Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 4 Ret 6 DNS 12 4 Ret 10
9 Brazil Max Wilson Ret Ret 6 5 DNPQ 2 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 9
10 United Kingdom Jamie Davies 3 8 13 16 3 Ret Ret 16 15 15 7 14 8
11 Portugal André Couto Ret 5 14 Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5 14 9 5 7
12 France Boris Derichebourg 11 6 3 12 Ret Ret 15 7 Ret 17 11 Ret 5
13 France Nicolas Minassian Ret 19 Ret 7 9 7 5 Ret 4 19 19 5
14 Germany Dominik Schwager 14 11 4 14 10 DNQ Ret 14 18 Ret Ret 7 3
15 Italy Thomas Biagi 4 10 12 10 13 10 Ret 12 3
16 United Kingdom Kevin McGarrity DNQ 14 27 Ret DNQ Ret 4 Ret 3
17 Italy Oliver Martini 16 9 9 Ret DNPQ 10 9 13 6 9 5 Ret 3
18 Brazil Bruno Junqueira Ret 16 16 9 Ret Ret 6 5 Ret Ret 18 Ret 3
19 France Cyrille Sauvage 5 Ret 11 Ret 15 Ret 13 Ret 8 20 2
20 Germany Alex Müller Ret Ret 10 11 Ret Ret 11 Ret 20 5 20 13 2
21 Argentina Gastón Mazzacane 6 7 Ret 6 12 9 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 13 Ret 2
22 Czech Republic Tomáš Enge 15 12 7 Ret 6 1
23 South Africa Werner Lupberger Ret 13 12 18 14 Ret 16 8 17 11 6 Ret 1
24 Brazil Marcelo Battistuzzi DNQ 22 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 18 Ret 11 6 Ret Ret 1
25 Portugal Rui Águas 9 17 17 7 Ret Ret 0
26 Argentina Brian Smith 10 Ret Ret 15 11 8 0
27 Italy Giovanni Montanari Ret 15 8 13 13 Ret 14 Ret 19 16 Ret 10 0
28 United Kingdom Dino Morelli Ret 19 10 8 0
29 Canada Bertrand Godin 8 Ret 22 19 Ret DNQ 19 12 14 21 12 11 0
30 France Fabrice Walfisch 13 18 20 Ret DNQ DNQ Ret Ret Ret 22 Ret 8 0
31 Austria Oliver Tichy 22 9 9 18 Ret Ret 0
32 France Grégoire de Galzain DNQ Ret 18 23 DNPQ DNQ Ret 17 Ret 25 10 16 0
33 United Kingdom Christian Horner Ret 12 Ret Ret 16 DNQ 17 18 Ret DNQ 17 17 0
34 United Kingdom Jonny Kane 12 21 Ret 20 0
35 Italy Fabrizio Gollin DNQ 17 DNQ Ret Ret DNQ 21 DNQ Ret DNQ 14 Ret 0
36 Italy Giorgio Vinella DNQ Ret 25 22 DNQ DNQ Ret 21 DNQ 15 22 0
37 Japan Hidetoshi Mitsusada 23 Ret 15 0
38 United Kingdom Mark Shaw Ret 20 Ret Ret DNPQ DNQ 20 19 16 24 16 18 0
39 Italy Paolo Ruberti DSQ Ret 23 21 18 Ret 0
40 United Kingdom James Taylor 21 21 0
41 Spain Polo Villaamil DNQ 24 0
United Kingdom David Cook Ret DNQ DNS 0
Belgium Bas Leinders DNS 0
Pos Driver OSC
Germany
IML
Italy
CAT
Spain
SIL
United Kingdom
MON
Monaco
PAU
France
A1R
Austria
HOC
Germany
HUN
Hungary
SPA
Belgium
PER
Italy
NÜR
Germany
Points
ColourResult
GoldWinner
SilverSecond place
BronzeThird place
GreenPoints finish
BlueNon-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
PurpleRetired (Ret)
RedDid not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
BlackDisqualified (DSQ)
WhiteDid not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest lap

Notes

Complete Overview

first column of every race10= grid position
second column of every race10= race result

R22=retired, but classified R=retired NC=not classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify DIS(3)=disqualified after finishing in third place (16)=place after practice, but grid position not held free

PlaceNameTeam OSC
Germany
IMO
Italy
CAT
Spain
SIL
United Kingdom
MON
Monaco
PAU
France
OST
Austria
HOC
Germany
HUN
Hungary
SPA
Belgium
PER
Italy
NÜR
Germany
1Colombia Juan Pablo MontoyaSuperNova Racing1151R111176112210323123113
2Germany Nick HeidfeldWest Competition Team225432622216313711312412329
3Uruguay Gonzalo RodríguezTeam Astromega5R2327219R26322R64611117617R2221
4Denmark Jason WattDen Blå Avis11731117331R5R434210102082R32
5France Soheil AyariDurango Formula4R6R232517R30NQ3R113R19R33435R
6France Stéphane SarrazinApomatox18118R24251525244416R885R127R18R1019
Belgium Kurt MollekensKTR/Arden9R42521488511591011R--31NQ15844
8United Kingdom Gareth ReesDen Blå Avis25R15R33R304411R17843R13620R1612642020
9Brazil Max WilsonEdenbridge Racing3NC7R966533NQ7221R2R17R19138R2323
10United Kingdom Jamie DaviesDAMS27326816131916539R14R2516251513151071714
11Portugal André CoutoPrema Powerteam10R115241420R6R14618R22R65151424965
12France Boris DerichebourgSuperNova Racing23118663151218R4R15152179R1817221113R
France Nicolas MinassianWest Competition Team15NC16198R87169217757217412191719--
14Italy Thomas BiagiColoni Motorsport2042410--------
Prema Powerteam1712181018138105R2512
Germany Dominik SchwagerRTL Team Oreca7141411441614191025NQ28R1414221821R27R117
United Kingdom Kevin McGarrityRaceprep Motorsport31NQ3014352731R27NQ--
Nordic Racing33R154312------
Brazil Bruno JunqueiraDraco Engineering14R23162616799R12R569514R22R13188R
Italy Oliver MartiniAuto Sport Racing19R17912929R2734NQ20101192613561191159R
19France Cyrille SauvageGP Racing1759R151127R121510R121316R881020----
Argentina Gastón MazzacaneTeam Astromega22612722A285622R13922R24R16R33NQ25137R
Germany Alex MüllerRTL Team Oreca13R20R1310131114R22R13719118202320451413
22Brazil Marcelo BattistuzziApomatox34NQ252230R34R25R27NQ291817R12119623R24R
South Africa Werner LupbergerEdenbridge Racing28R271310122818231418R2016128241714119621R
Czech Republic Tomáš EngeAuto Sport Racing--------------231515125716R156
-Portugal Rui ÁguasAuto Sport Racing249--
Coloni Motorsport1417231710717R--32R--------
-Argentina Brian SmithNordic Racing61010R28R3112151511198------------
-Italy Giovanni MontanariDraco Engineering16R2915781013211323R161419R2619261626R1610
-United Kingdom Dino MorelliAuto Sport Racing--19R21191110179--------------
-Canada Bertrand GodinDurango Formula12832R2022221924R24NQ261927122114242131121811
-France Fabrice WalfischNordic Racing291331183120322528NQ31NQ24R29R13R272221R128
-Austria Oliver TichyColoni Motorsport------------102220949171820R22R
-France Grégoire de GalzainDAMS32NQ35R1718352332NQ28NQ25R301728R232514102816
-United Kingdom Christian HornerKTR/Arden30R221219R26R261630NQ2317281832R30NQ29172917
-United Kingdom Jonny KaneRedman & Bright F30002112132118R291820----------------
-Italy Fabrizio GollinG. S. Team35NQ281736R30R20R29NQ302133NQ30R32NQ281426R
-Italy Giorgio VinellaColoni Motorsport33NQ34R3225332229NQ32NQ31R--292129R30153022
-Japan Hidetoshi MitsusadaColoni Motorsport------------------282319R1915
-United Kingdom Mark ShawRedman & Bright F300026R332029R21R31NQ26NQ272031192716252432162718
-Italy Paolo RubertiPrema Powerteam8DIS(3)21R23232421131815R------------
-United Kingdom James TaylorGP Racing--------------------33213121
-Spain Polo VillaamilElide Racing36NQ--3424------------------
-United Kingdom David CookRedman & Bright F3000------------32R34NQ33NS------
-Belgium Bas LeindersWest Competition Team----------------------(16)NS

References

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