GB3 Championship

The GB3 Championship is a single seater motorsport series based in the United Kingdom. The championship is the UK's premier single-seater category, and is aimed at young racing drivers moving up from FIA Formula 4 championships, the GB4 Championship or Karting. Having previously been known since 2013 as the BRDC Formula 4 Championship, the championship was renamed the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship with the backing of the FIA in March 2016. The championship was rebranded to GB3 Championship in August 2021.

Like most junior formula series, it is a spec series, meaning all competitors use identical cars, engines, and tyres. While not officially branded as a Formula Regional series, the car specification for the 2025 season conforms to that of Formula Regional. Previous cars have been similar in performance to FR.

History

The predecessor of the GB3 Championship was the Formula 4 racing series operated by the 750 Motor Club. The series was awarded to MotorSport Vision from the 2013 season. Under the BRDC F4 moniker, British driver Jake Hughes was the first champion of the series in 2013, driving for Lanan Racing. The championship top three of Hughes, vice-champion Seb Morris and Charlie Robertson were all finalists in that year's McLaren Autosport BRDC Award.

In 2014, George Russell was crowned champion following a dramatic victory in the season finale at Snetterton. Russell beat his Lanan Racing teammate Arjun Maini by just three points and went on to win the 2014 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award later in the year.

Will Palmer was crowned the 2015, champion after a dominant campaign in which he took 12 victories from the 24 races. His HHC Motorsport teammate Harri Newey finished as runner-up, with Palmer subsequently named as the winner of the McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in December.

On 23 March 2016, the FIA and MSA revealed to the FIA World Motor Sport Council that an agreement had been reached the day prior to rebrand the BRDC Formula 4 Championship in order to reflect the increased pace of the new car designed for the 2016 season, and to fill the void left after the British Formula 3 Championship folded in 2014.

In the first season of BRDC British F3, Matheus Leist secured the championship in the final weekend of the season, while British driver Lando Norris won three races and was named the winner of the 2016 McLaren Autosport BRDC Award in December.

Enaam Ahmed claimed the title after a dominant campaign in 2017 which saw him win a total of 13 races.

Linus Lundqvist won the championship in 2018, which also saw him claim a prize drive at the 2019 24 Hours of Daytona. Subsequent champions were Clement Novalak and Kaylen Frederick, both driving for Carlin.

In August 2021 the series was renamed as GB3 Championship, after the FIA decided to restrict the use of "F3" to the FIA Formula 3 Championship, and the 2021 car did not meet FIA standards for Formula Regional accreditation. British racing driver Zak O'Sullivan was the first to win the title under the new name. The following month, MSV announced a new support series would be launched with the GB4 Championship.

Shortly after the rebrand, the series announced a new car would be used for 2022, the Tatuus MSV-022, with performance and safety upgrades including the addition of the halo. The new car has proven to be around two to three seconds a lap quicker than its predecessor.

For 2025, the series will introduce the Tatuus MSV GB3-025, which will feature "F1-inspired aero", DRS and a new Mountune 2.0L generating 280bhp, among other changes.

Points system

Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race, except the reverse grid race two, using the following system in 2013:

Points are awarded to all finishing drivers in each race, using the following system since 2014:

In the reverse grid races, an extra point is awarded per position gained compared to each drivers' starting position.

Champions

Operating under 750 Motor Club

All champions were British-registered.

BRDC Formula 4 Championship

BRDC British Formula 3 Championship

GB3 Championship

Notes

External links