2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship preview and entry list

The FIA Formula 3 Championship will kick-off this weekend at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, marking the beginning of a new era in the global open-wheel racing business.

The new championship has been born as a result of a merger between the GP3 Series and FIA Formula 3 European Championship, becoming a part of the FIA Global Pathway from Karting to Formula One.

Dallara F3 2019 chassis

The new championship will feature new cars, introducing Dallara F3 2019 chassis powered by 380hp 3.4-litre V6 naturally-aspirated Mecachrome engine.  Same as F1 and F2 cars, FIA Formula 3 will introduce the ‘halo’ cockpit protection system.

Same as former GP3 Series, the FIA F3 Championship would serve as a part of the supporting programme at Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends. The schedule of races is similar to 2018 GP3 Series calendar with an exception of skipping the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to allow F3 drivers to compete at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix.

Following the season-opening round in Spain, there will be races at Circuit Paul Ricard, Red Bull Ring, Silverstone, Hungaroring, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Monza and Sochi Autodrom. The season’s finale in Russia is scheduled for September 29.

FIA F3 Championship had three pre-season tests

The thirty-driver grid features ten teams with three drivers each. The entrants are selected both from GP3 Series and FIA F3 European Championship. Both teams that took championship titles in former competitions, Prema Powerteam and ART Grand Prix, are in. The other entrants are MP Motorsport, Sauber Junior Team by Charouz, HWA Racelab, Jenzer Motorsport, Trident, Hitech Grand Prix, Campos Racing and Carlin.

Both champions from 2018, Mick Schumacher (F3) and Anthoine Hubert (F3), progressed to the FIA Formula 2 Championship, same as some other front-runner, but many of last year’s drivers in the third-tier competitions will fight again in the same level of open-wheel racing.

Here’s the entry list for the 2019 FIA Formula 3 Championship season:

Photos: FIA Formula 3,