2006 Australian Drivers' Champion Ben Clucas at the Mallala round of the championship

The 2006 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title open to Formula 3 cars. The title was contested over an eight-round, 16 race series, with the winner being awarded the 2006 CAMS Gold Star. The series was organised and administered by Formula 3 Australia Inc. and was officially known as the "2006 Khumo Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the Australian Drivers' Championship". It is recognised by CAMS as the 50th Australian Drivers' Championship and as the 6th Australian Formula 3 Championship.

British driver Ben Clucas dominated the series driving a Team BRM Dallara F304-Spiess Opel. Clucas won eleven of the twelve races he contested, finishing 52 points ahead of Tim Macrow (Dallara F301-Spiess Opel). Michael Trimble finished third in the points standings, driving a Dallara F304-Renault. Macrow was the only driver to defeat Clucas for a race win before the British driver left the series after Round 6 with an unassailable lead in the points. Macrow also won three of the other four races with Trimble winning the first of the two races held at Queensland Raceway.

Calendar

Tim Macrow placed 2nd in the championship
Michael Trimble placed 3rd in the championship
Chris Gilmour placed 4th in the championship
Leanne Tander placed 5th in the championship

The championship was contested over an eight-round series with two races per round.

RdCircuitStateDate
1Wakefield Park RacewayNew South Wales3–5 March
2Symmons Plains International RacewayTasmania7–9 April
3Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitVictoria19–21 May
4Mallala Motor Sport ParkSouth Australia23–25 June
5Eastern Creek International RacewayNew South Wales7–9 July
6Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitVictoria18–20 August
7Queensland Raceway, IpswichQueensland2–3 September
8Oran Park RacewayNew South Wales28–29 October

Class structure

Cars competed in three classes:

  • Formula 3 Championship: Cars constructed in accordance with FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied in the year of manufacture between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2004
  • Formula 3 National Class: Cars constructed in accordance with FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied in the year of manufacture between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2001
  • Formula 3 Trophy Class: Cars constructed in accordance with FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied in the year of manufacture between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 1998

The relevant FIA Formula 3 regulations were subject to specific amendments for Australian competition, as outlined in the championship regulations.

Points system

Points were awarded on a 20–15–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis for the first ten positions in each class in each race. One point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest qualifying time in each class for each race and one point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest race lap in each class in each race, but only if that driver was classified as a finisher in the race.

Championship results

Wakefield Pk.Symmons Pl.Phillip IslandMallalaEastern Ck.Phillip IslandQld. RacewayOran ParkTotal
PositionDriverNo.CarEntrantR1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2R1R2Points
Championship Class
1Ben Clucas4 & 84Dallara F304 SpiessGawler Farm Machinery222122122221222122212221----249
2Tim Macrow25 60Dallara F301 Spiess Dallara F304 SpiessTim Macrow Racing Scud Racing10121061212151312160116212021197
3Michael Trimble10Dallara F304 RenaultAstuti Motorsport121512221516121515121510200--191
4Chris Gilmour60 & 17Dallara F304 SpiessGilmour Racing310610888106810128121615150
5Leanne Tander42Dallara F304 SpiessFleetcare TanderSport68881010100861215--116118
6Chris Alajajian22Dallara F304 RenaultJack Hillerman1571515----1010----01082
7Stuart Kostera24 & 29Dallara F304 RenaultPHR Scuderia--------44861116121374
8Andy Knight11Dallara F304 RenaultAstuti Motorsport----------081210--30
9Daniel Pappas10Dallara F304 RenaultAstuti Motorsport--------------8816
10Stephen Borness7Dallara F301 FiatAdnet Technology8422------------16
11Maher Algadri23Dallara F304 RenaultAudi Centre Melbourne--------30----6615
12Jason Vince3Dallara F304 SpiessKings Transport4344------------15
13Laurent LePage3Dallara F304 SpiessKings Transport------68--------14
14Matt Sofi2Dallara F301 FiatTranswest Insurance Brokers----------6060--12
15David Borg24Dallara F304 RenaultInsight F3--33------------6
National Class
1Ricky Occhipinti32Dallara F301 SpiessFormula Uno Racing2016222212216201172222----201
2Tim Berryman33Dallara F301 SpiessBerryman Racing1721----12152120015--2222165
3Chris Barry6Dallara F301 SpiessPRB Australia1212--150--1512--10151597
4John Boothman12Dallara F301 FiatJohn Boothman----------1512--121251
5Stuart Kostera70Dallara F301 MugenPHR Scuderia------2114--------35
6Maher Algadri70Dallara F301 MugenPHR Scuderia--1520------------35
Trophy Class
1Graeme Holmes21Dallara F398 ToyotaDecentralised Demountables----222222122222222--2222199
2Lauren Gray87Dallara F396 ToyotaSoftelm Pty Ltd22221212108101512151212111515194
3Bill Maddocks88Dallara F396 ToyotaSoftelm Pty Ltd--16151210122015121515101012165
4Rod Anderson37Dallara F396 ToyotaHack, Anderson & Thomas--212215121513--010--1210130
5Ian Haines68Dallara F398 ToyotaIan Haines------------2021--41
6Brian Sampson78Dallara F396 ToyotaSpeco VHT----015----------15