2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship
The 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship was a multi-event motor racing championship for single-seat open wheel formula racing cars that is held across Europe. The championship features drivers competing in two-litre Formula Three racing cars which conform to the technical regulations, or formula, for the championship. It is the fifth edition of the FIA Formula 3 European Championship.
Felix Rosenqvist was the defending drivers' champion,[1] but was unable to defend his title, because of a new rule which determined that drivers could spend no more than three years in the category. His team, Prema Powerteam, were the defending winners of the teams' championship.
2016 was the final season that the Dallara F312 chassis package, which débuted in the 2012 season, was used in competition, as a brand new chassis package was introduced for 2017.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers competed during the 2016 season:[2]
Driver changes
- Joining FIA European Formula 3
- 2015 Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron entered the series with Prema Powerteam.[6]
- Ben Barnicoat, who came fourth in the 2015 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season, joined the series with HitechGP, after an initial deal with Prema Powerteam fell through.[28]
- David Beckmann, who raced in ADAC Formula 4, continued his collaboration with Mücke Motorsport into the championship, but missed the first two rounds on account of his age.[21]
- Nick Cassidy, who raced for Prema Powerteam in two rounds of the 2015 season, raced full-time with the team.[5]
- ADAC Formula 4 runner-up Joel Eriksson, brother of GP3 driver Jimmy Eriksson, joined the series with Motopark.[23]
- Anthoine Hubert, who finished fifth in the 2015 Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 season, joined the series with Van Amersfoort Racing.[19]
- 2015 SMP F4 champion and Red Bull Junior driver Niko Kari joined the series with Motopark.[22]
- Nikita Mazepin joined the series with HitechGP.[26]
- Harrison Newey, son of F1 engineer Adrian Newey and runner-up in BRDC Formula 4, made his debut in the series with Van Amersfoort Racing.[18]
- Pedro Piquet, son of three time Formula One champion Nelson Piquet and two-time Brazilian Formula Three champion, stepped up to the series with Van Amersfoort Racing.[16]
- 2015 Italian F4 runner-up Guanyu Zhou joined the championship with Motopark.[24]
- Changing Teams
- Maximilian Günther, who raced for Mücke Motorsport for most of 2015 before switching to Prema Powerteam during the last round, stayed with Prema in 2016.[7]
- Raoul Hyman switched from Team West-Tec F3 to Carlin.[13]
- Callum Ilott, who raced for Carlin in 2015, switched to Van Amersfoort Racing.[17]
- Zhi Cong Li switched from Fortec Motorsports to Carlin.[11]
- Alessio Lorandi, who raced for Van Amersfoort in 2015, switched to Carlin.[10]
- Arjun Maini, switched from Van Amersfoort Racing to T-Sport.[30]
- George Russell, who raced for Carlin in 2015, switched to HitechGP.[27]
- Leaving Formula 3
- Jake Dennis, Tatiana Calderón and Santino Ferrucci, who finished third, 27th and 11th in the 2015 season, stepped up to GP3 with Arden International and DAMS respectively.
- Rookie champion Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon, who finished fourth and seventh in 2015 respectively, left the series to compete in GP3 with ART Grand Prix.[32]
- 2015 runner-up Antonio Giovinazzi stepped up to GP2 with Prema Powerteam.
- Pietro Fittipaldi, who finished 17th in 2015, stepped up to Formula V8 3.5 with Fortec.
- 2015 champion Felix Rosenqvist was ruled out of returning to the series due to a new rule, which said that drivers could spend no more than three years in the category. He joined the Indy Lights with Belardi Auto Racing.[33]
Team changes
- After making two appearances in the 2015 season, HitechGP returned full-time to the series, in collaboration with ART Grand Prix.
- Double R Racing, Signature Team, EuroInternational, Team West-Tec and Artline Engineering withdrew.
Calendar
A provisional ten-round calendar was announced on 2 December 2015.[34]
Round | Circuit | Date | Supporting | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1 | Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet | 2 April | World Touring Car Championship |
2 | ||||
3 | 3 April | |||
2 | 4 | Hungaroring, Mogyoród | 23 April | |
5 | ||||
6 | 24 April | |||
3 | 7 | Circuit de Pau-Ville, Pau | 14 May | Pau Grand Prix |
8 | ||||
9 | 15 May | |||
4 | 10 | Red Bull Ring, Spielberg | 21 May | Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters |
11 | ||||
12 | 22 May | |||
5 | 13 | Norisring, Nuremberg | 25 June | |
14 | ||||
15 | 26 June | |||
6 | 16 | Circuit Park Zandvoort, Zandvoort | 16 July | |
17 | ||||
18 | 17 July | |||
7 | 19 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps | 29 July | 24 Hours of Spa Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup |
20 | ||||
21 | 30 July | |||
8 | 22 | Nürburgring, Rhineland-Palatinate | 10 September | Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters |
23 | ||||
24 | 11 September | |||
9 | 25 | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari, Imola | 1 October | European Touring Car Cup FFSA GT Championship |
26 | 2 October | |||
27 | ||||
10 | 28 | Hockenheimring, Baden-Württemberg | 15 October | Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters |
29 | 16 October | |||
30 |
Results
Round | Circuit | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning team | Rookie winner | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | R1 | Circuit Paul Ricard | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ben Barnicoat |
R2 | Maximilian Günther | Nick Cassidy | Callum Ilott | Van Amersfoort Racing | Guanyu Zhou | ||
R3 | Maximilian Günther | Joel Eriksson | Maximilian Günther | Prema Powerteam | Joel Eriksson | ||
2 | R1 | Hungaroring | Maximilian Günther | Joel Eriksson | Ralf Aron | Prema Powerteam | Ralf Aron |
R2 | Maximilian Günther | Maximilian Günther | Maximilian Günther | Prema Powerteam | Ralf Aron | ||
R3 | Maximilian Günther | Lance Stroll | Ben Barnicoat | HitechGP | Ben Barnicoat | ||
3 | R1 | Circuit de Pau-Ville | Lance Stroll | Callum Ilott | Ben Barnicoat | HitechGP | Ben Barnicoat |
R2 | George Russell | George Russell | George Russell | HitechGP | Ben Barnicoat | ||
R3 | Alessio Lorandi | Anthoine Hubert | Alessio Lorandi | Carlin | Joel Eriksson | ||
4 | R1 | Red Bull Ring | Callum Ilott | Callum Ilott | Callum Ilott | Van Amersfoort Racing | David Beckmann |
R2 | Lance Stroll | Sérgio Sette Câmara | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Niko Kari | ||
R3 | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ben Barnicoat | ||
5 | R1 | Norisring | Lance Stroll | Callum Ilott | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Niko Kari |
R2 | Anthoine Hubert | Lance Stroll | Anthoine Hubert | Van Amersfoort Racing | Anthoine Hubert | ||
R3 | Lance Stroll | Alessio Lorandi | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Anthoine Hubert | ||
6 | R1 | Circuit Park Zandvoort | Nick Cassidy | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Niko Kari |
R2 | Callum Ilott | Maximilian Günther | Nick Cassidy | Prema Powerteam | Anthoine Hubert | ||
R3 | Maximilian Günther | Lance Stroll | Maximilian Günther | Prema Powerteam | David Beckmann | ||
7 | R1 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ben Barnicoat |
R2 | George Russell | George Russell | George Russell | HitechGP | Joel Eriksson | ||
R3 | George Russell | George Russell | Joel Eriksson | Motopark | Joel Eriksson | ||
8 | R1 | Nürburgring | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ralf Aron |
R2 | Lance Stroll | Maximilian Günther | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Joel Eriksson | ||
R3 | Maximilian Günther | Maximilian Günther | Maximilian Günther | Prema Powerteam | Niko Kari | ||
9 | R1 | Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Niko Kari | Motopark | Niko Kari |
R2 | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Joel Eriksson | ||
R3 | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ralf Aron | ||
10 | R1 | Hockenheimring | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Ralf Aron |
R2 | Lance Stroll | David Beckmann | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Joel Eriksson | ||
R3 | Joel Eriksson | Lance Stroll | Lance Stroll | Prema Powerteam | Joel Eriksson |
Championship standings
- Scoring system
Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Drivers' championship
|
Bold – Pole |
Rookies' Championship
Pos. | Driver | LEC |
HUN |
PAU |
RBR |
NOR |
ZAN |
SPA |
NÜR |
IMO |
HOC |
Points | ||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | |||
1 | Joel Eriksson | 6 | 9 | 3 | 3 | Ret | 2 | 14 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 10 | 6 | Ret | 5 | Ret | 12 | 10 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 470 |
2 | Ralf Aron | 7 | Ret | 7 | 1 | 2 | DNS | 13 | 6 | 15 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 10 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 418 |
3 | Anthoine Hubert | 17 | 8 | 6 | Ret | 13 | 14 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 10 | Ret | 4 | 2 | 10 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 392 |
4 | Ben Barnicoat | 4 | Ret | 11 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 5 | 6 | Ret | DSQ | 18 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 11 | 20 | 9 | Ret | 10 | 8 | Ret | 13 | 18 | 9 | 7 | 342 |
5 | Niko Kari | 8 | 16 | 15 | 2 | Ret | 8 | 19 | 11 | 8 | 20 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 12 | Ret | 6 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 9 | Ret | 14 | 12 | 13 | 340 |
6 | Guanyu Zhou | 14 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 14 | 12 | 7 | Ret | 6 | 4 | 16 | 18 | 16 | 17 | 8 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 11 | 304 |
7 | David Beckmann | 17 | Ret | Ret | 7 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 13 | Ret | 10 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 10 | 13 | 6 | 13 | Ret | Ret | 9 | 12 | 3 | 18 | 221 | ||||||
8 | Harrison Newey | 9 | Ret | 14 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 15 | Ret | 14 | 8 | 16 | 11 | Ret | Ret | 10 | 19 | 12 | 18 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 8 | Ret | 15 | 18 | 12 | 202 |
9 | Nikita Mazepin | 19 | 12 | 10 | EX | Ret | 13 | 16 | 13 | Ret | 15 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 17 | 15 | 17 | 12 | Ret | 8 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 15 | 8 | 10 | Ret | 171 |
10 | Ukyo Sasahara | 13 | Ret | 19 | Ret | 13 | Ret | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pos. | Driver | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | R1 | R2 | R3 | Points |
LEC |
HUN |
PAU |
RBR |
NOR |
ZAN |
SPA |
NÜR |
IMO |
HOC |
Teams' championship
Prior to each round of the championship, two drivers from each team – if applicable – were nominated to score teams' championship points.
Pos | Team | Points |
---|---|---|
1 | Prema Powerteam | 780 |
2 | HitechGP | 499 |
3 | Motopark | 431 |
4 | Van Amersfoort Racing | 416 |
5 | kfzteile24 Mücke Motorsport | 297 |
6 | Carlin | 238 |
7 | Threebond with T-Sport | 32 |
Footnotes
- All drivers competed in Dallara chassis; model listed.[3]
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 1-3, 5, 8, 10.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 4, 6-7, 9.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at round 5.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 2-4, 6-10.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at round 1.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at round 5.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 8-9.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 1, 3-8, 10.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at round 2.
- Ineligible to score points for the team in the teams' championship at rounds 1-7, 10.
References
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- "Cassidy completes Prema's European F3 line-up". 8 February 2016. Retrieved 8 February 2016.
- Allen, Peter (15 December 2015). "Italian F4 champion Ralf Aron makes F3 step with Prema". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 15 December 2015.
- Allen, Peter (22 December 2015). "Maximilian Gunther gets Prema F3 deal for 2016". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- Allen, Peter (16 December 2015). "Carlin retains Ryan Tveter for European F3 in 2016". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
- "2016 FIA FORMULA 3 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Provisional Entry List Hockenheim 2016" (PDF). European Formula 3 Championship. FIA. 10 October 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
- "Lorandi moves to Carlin for second European F3 season". 19 January 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2016.
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- Simmons, Marcus (13 July 2016). "T-Sport back to European Formula 3 with ex-FRenault ace Sasahara". Autosport. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
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- Simmons, Marcus (1 December 2015). "ART Grand Prix to return to Formula 3 in support of HitechGP". Autosport. Haymarket Media Group. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
- Allen, Peter (18 December 2015). "Nikita Mazepin steps up to F3 with HitechGP". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 18 December 2015.
- Klein, Jamie (11 December 2015). "Russell joins Hitech for sophomore F3 season". Motorsport.com. Retrieved 11 December 2015.
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- Simmons, Marcus (10 October 2016). "BMW factory driver Alexander Sims back in F3 for Hockenheim finale". Autosport. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
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The passage of two young talented rookies like Charles Leclerc and Alexander Albon GP3, when they could go for the title in the FIA Formula 3 this year, is a significant message to the Federation who thought he had charted a new course for all unbeatable
- "Belardi Auto Racing confirms Felix Rosenqvist for Indy Lights". Indy Lights. 24 February 2016. Archived from the original on 23 June 2020. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- Allen, Peter (2 December 2015). "No British round for FIA F3 European Championship in 2016". Paddock Scout. Retrieved 2 December 2015.