The 2008 Formula 3 Euro Series season was the sixth championship year of Europe's premier
Formula Three
Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers.
History
Formula Three (adop ...
series. The season was dominated by 21-year-old
German Nico Hülkenberg
Nicolas Hülkenberg (, born 19 August 1987) is a German racing driver who competes in Formula One for Sauber. In endurance racing (motorsport), endurance racing, Hülkenberg won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2015 24 Hours of Le Mans, 2015 with Por ...
, who won seven of the season's ten feature races amassing 76 of his total of 85 championship points on Saturday afternoons. He won the championship by 35.5 points from early frontrunner
Edoardo Mortara as the
2007's rookie cup winner's season somewhat tailed off after the
Norisring, scoring just 9.5 points in the final twelve races compared to Hülkenberg's 60.
Jules Bianchi's strong finish to the season, including a win in the final race at
Hockenheim
Hockenheim () is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine Plain, Upper Rhine valley on the tourist theme routes "Baden Asparagus Route" ( ...
and coupled with
Renger van der Zande's fifth place and
Mika Mäki's ninth place, it allowed the
2008 Ultimate Masters winner to finish third in the championship, a point ahead of both van der Zande and Mäki.
Drivers and teams
Driver changes
; Changed Teams
*
Yann Clairay:
Signature-Plus →
SG Formula
*
Dani Clos
Daniel Clos Álvarez (born 23 October 1988) is a Spanish former professional racecar driver and YouTuber. In 2012, he was the test driver for the now defunct HRT Formula One team.
Career
Karting
Born in Barcelona, Clos was a fairly successfu ...
: Signature-Plus →
Prema Powerteam
*
Tom Dillmann:
ASM Formule 3 → SG Formula
*
James Jakes: Manor Motorsport →
ART Grand Prix
*
Franck Mailleux: Manor Motorsport → Signature-Plus
; Entering/Re-Entering Formula 3 Euro Series
*
Jules Bianchi:
French Formula Renault Championship &
Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (SG Formula) → ART Grand Prix
*
Sam Bird:
British Formula 3 Championship (
Carlin Motorsport) → Manor Motorsport
*
Niall Breen: British Formula 3 Championship (Carlin Motorsport) → Manor Motorsport
*
Daniel Campos-Hull:
Formula BMW ADAC (Eifelland Racing) → HBR Motorsport
*
Cong Fu Cheng: British Formula 3 Championship National Class (
Performance Racing Europe AB) → RC Motorsport
*
Stefano Coletti:
Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (
Epsilon Euskadi) → Signature-Plus
*
Peter Elkmann: Sabbatical → RC Motorsport
*
Rodolfo González: British Formula 3 Championship (T-Sport) → Carlin Motorsport
*
Erik Janiš:
FIA GT3 European Championship (S-Berg Racing) → Mücke Motorsport
*
Brendon Hartley
Brendon Morris Hartley (born 10 November 1989) is a New Zealand racing driver, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota Motorsport GmbH, Toyota. Hartley competed in Formula One from to . In endurance racing (motorsport) ...
: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (
Epsilon Red Bull Team) → RC Motorsport
*
Charlie Kimball:
Formula Renault 3.5 Series (
Victory Engineering) → Prema Powerteam
*
Jens Klingmann: Formula BMW ADAC (Eifelland Racing) → RC Motorsport
*
Michael Klein:
German Formula Three Championship Throphy Class (HS Technik Motorsport) → Jo Zeller Racing
*
Jon Lancaster: French Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (SG Formula) → ART Grand Prix
*
Mika Mäki: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (Epsilon Red Bull Team) → Mücke Motorsport
*
Oliver Oakes:
Formula Renault 2.0 Northern European Cup & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (
Motopark Academy) → Carlin Motorsport
*
Kazuya Oshima:
All-Japan Formula Three Championship (
Toyota
is a Japanese Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on August 28, 1937. Toyota is the List of manuf ...
Team Tom's) → Manor Motorsport
*
Nelson Panciatici: French Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (SG Formula) → RC Motorsport
*
Richard Philippe: Formula Renault 3.5 Series (
Fortec Motorsport) → Carlin Motorsport
*
Martin Plowman: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (Prema Powerteam) → RC Motorsport
*
Stéphane Richelmi: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (Thierry Boutsen Racing) →
Barazi-Epsilon
*
Daniel Ricciardo: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (RP Motorsport) → SG Formula
*
Koudai Tsukakoshi: All-Japan Formula Three Championship (Honda Team Real) → Manor Motorsport
*
Christian Vietoris: German Formula Three Championship (Josef Kaufmann Racing) → Mücke Motorsport
*
Frédéric Vervisch: German Formula Three Championship (JB Motorsport) → RC Motorsport
*
Henkie Waldschmidt: Italian Formula Renault Championship & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (Prema Powerteam) → SG Formula
*
Robert Wickens:
Atlantic Championship (
Red Bull/Team Forsythe) → Signature-Plus
; Leaving Formula 3 Euro Series
*
Sergey Afanasyev: HBR Motorsport →
International Formula Master (
JD Motorsport)
*
Cyndie Allemann: Manor Motorsport →
Firestone Indy Lights (American Spirit Racing)
*
Sébastien Buemi: ASL Mücke Motorsport →
GP2 Series
The GP2 Series was a form of open wheel motor racing introduced in 2005 following the discontinuation of the long-term Formula One feeder series, Formula 3000. The GP2 format was conceived by Bernie Ecclestone and Flavio Briatore, while Ecc ...
(
Trust Team Arden)
*
Yelmer Buurman: Manor Motorsport → GP2 Series (Trust Team Arden)
*
Carlo van Dam: RC Motorsport → All-Japan Formula Three Championship (
Petronas Team Tom's)
*
Michael Devaney:
Ultimate Motorsport → British Formula 3 Championship (Ultimate Motorsport)
*
Romain Grosjean: ASM Formule 3 → GP2 Series (ART Grand Prix)
*
Esteban Guerrieri: Ultimate Motorsport → Formula Renault 3.5 Series (
Ultimate Signature)
*
Euan Hankey: HS Technik Motorsport → Sabbatical
*
Michael Herck: Bas Leinders Junior Racing Team → GP2 Series (
David Price Racing)
*
Marco Holzer
Marco Pascal Holzer (born 30 July 1988) is a German professional racing driver. He has competed in sports car competitions such as the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, American Le Mans Series and Le Mans Series as a Porsche works dr ...
: AM-Holzer Rennsport →
Porsche Carrera Cup Germany (UPS Porsche Junior Team)
*
Kamui Kobayashi: ASM Formule 3 → GP2 Series (
DAMS)
*
Michael Patrizi: Prema Powerteam →
V8 Supercars (
Ford Rising Stars Racing)
*
Edoardo Piscopo: ASL Mücke Motorsport → Italian Formula Three Championship (
Team Ghinzani)
*
Filip Salaquarda: HBR Motorsport → International Formula Master (
Team ISR)
*
Tim Sandtler: Jo Zeller Racing → International Formula Master (
Team ISR)
*
Harald Schlegelmilch: HS Technik Motorsport → International Formula Master (
Trident Racing)
*
Jonathan Summerton: RC Motorsport →
Atlantic Championship (
Newman Wachs Racing)
Calendar
Season standings
Drivers Standings
*Points are awarded as follows:
''Note'': In the second races at the
Norisring, the
Bugatti Circuit and the October
Hockenheim
Hockenheim () is a town in northwest Baden-Württemberg, Germany, about 20 km south of Mannheim and 10 km west of Walldorf. It is located in the Upper Rhine Plain, Upper Rhine valley on the tourist theme routes "Baden Asparagus Route" ( ...
meeting, due to insufficient distance covered, half points were awarded.
† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.
* Pole-winners in bold; race 1 pole-winners earn one point (not awarded at Pau or Brands).
* Drivers achieving fastest lap in ''italics''. No points awarded.
Rookie Cup
Rookie drivers are only eligible for the ''Rookie Cup'' title if they have not previously competed in a national or international Formula 3 championship.
Team's standings
Nations Cup
Notes
References
{{FIA European F3 seasons
Formula 3 Euro Series seasons
Euro Series
Formula 3 Euro Series