Australian Formula 3 has been the name applied to two distinctly different motor racing categories, separated by over twenty years. The original Australian Formula 3 was introduced in 1964 based on the

FIA Formula 3 The FIA Formula 3 Championship (FIA F3) is a third-tier international single-seater racing championship organised by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The championship launched in 2019 as a feeder series for the FIA Formu ...

of the period and intended as a cost-efficient open wheel category to run at state level for amateur racers. It was discontinued at the end of 1977. Formula 3 was reintroduced to Australia in 1999, again based on FIA Formula 3. An Australian Formula 3 Championship was sanctioned by the

Confederation of Australian Motor Sport Motorsport Australia, formerly the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), is the nationally recognised governing and sanctioning body for four-wheeled motorsport Motorsport or motor sport are sporting events, competitions and relate ...

for the first time in 2001. From 2005 to 2014 the

Australian Drivers' Championship The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category. This category was determined by the Confederation of Australia ...

title (CAMS Gold Star) was also awarded to the winner of the championship. For 2015 the series reverted to the single title of Australian Formula 3 Championship. Following the withdrawal of national championship status, an Australian Formula 3 Premier Series has been contested since 2016.

History – The First Era

The Australian Formula 3 category was introduced by the

in 1964 as the fourth tier of formula car racing in Australia, below the Australian National Formula, the Australian 1½ Litre Formula and

Australian Formula 2 Australian Formula 2, sometimes abbreviated to AF2 or ANF2, is a "wings and slicks" formula racing category in Australia. The category is one of Australia's oldest, dating back to 1964. The current format of AF2 was introduced in 1978. Brian Shead ...

. Initially the formula was as per

, with cars restricted to using production based engines of under 1000cc capacity with overhead camshafts not permitted. For 1969 the engine capacity limit was increased to 1100cc and the prohibition on overhead camshafts was removed. 1972 saw the engine capacity limit lifted to 1300cc. 1977 was to be the last year of the first era of Australian Formula 3 as the category was discontinued at the end of the season. Formula 3 was never run under national championship status, although there were State Championships and the Stillwell Series.

History – The Modern Era

Bruno Senna 2006 Australian Grand Prix-3

The modern era began when 2 Litre Formula 3 cars were introduced into Australia in 1999, competing alongside 1600cc

cars in the Australian Formula 2 National Series. In the following year CAMS introduced FIA specifications for Formula 3 cars in Australia and Formula 3 drivers now had their own Formula 3 National Series. Agreement was reached with CAMS to grant National Championship status to the Formula 3 Series for 2001 and it officially became the Australian Formula 3 Championship in that year.Australian Titles
Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 21 July 2009. By the 2005 season CAMS had decreed that Australian Formula 3 was now Australia's premier open-wheel racing car class (displacing

Formula 4000 In science, a formula is a concise way of expressing information symbolically, as in a mathematical formula or a ''chemical formula''. The informal use of the term ''formula'' in science refers to the general construct of a relationship betwe ...

) and as such the

title (and the associated CAMS Gold Star) would be awarded on the results of the Australian Formula 3 Championship.FORMULA 3 TO RACE FOR THE AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2005
Retrieved from Internet Archive on 21 October 2008.

List of Champions

Following the running of a National Series in 1999 and 2000, official national title status was granted by the

Confederation of Australian Motorsport Motorsport Australia, formerly the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS), is the nationally recognised governing and sanctioning body for four-wheeled motorsport in Australia. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'A ...

from 2001 onwards. From 2005 to 2014 the winner of the Australian Formula 3 Championship was also awarded the CAMS Gold Star and the

title. In 2015 CAMS stripped the Gold Star Award from the Australian Formula 3 Championship citing low grid numbers. With the loss of national championship status for 2016 the series was renamed the Australian Formula 3 Premier Series. Aligning with the Australian Motor Racing Series from 2019 the series returned to National Championship status. 99AustF3champion

Australian Formula 3 National Series

Australian Formula 3 Championship

Australian Formula 3 Championship / Australian Drivers' Championship

Australian Formula 3 Championship

The Australian Formula 3 Championship was renamed the Australian Formula 3 Premier Series by Formula 3 Management Pty Ltd from 2016 to 2018, returning to Australian Formula 3 Championship from 2019.

Australian Formula Open Championship

Australian Formula 3 Premier Series was renamed the Australian Formula Open Championship to get in line with the

Euroformula Open Championship The Euroformula Open Championship (formerly the Spanish Formula Three Championship, European F3 Open Championship) is a junior formula racing series based in Spain. It was one of six national and international Formula Three championships in Europe ...

running not just Formula 3 cars, but other classes.

List of constructors in Australian Formula 3

Cars built by the following constructors have raced in Australian Formula 3

Historic Era

*Aztec * Birrana *

Elfin Elfin may refer to: *ELFIN, a CubeSat developed by University of California, Los Angeles *Elfin (steamboat), a steamboat that ran on Lake Washington from 1891 to 1900 *Elfin of Alt Clut, ruler of Alt Clut, seventh century Scotland *Elfin, a charac ...

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Alpha Sports Productions Alpha Street productions and later Alpha Sports Productions (ASP) were an Australian kit car and racing car manufacturer. It has made sports cars and open wheeler cars. Originally building cars based on the Lotus Seven but have evolved to const ...

ASP

Modern Era

Dallara Dallara Group S.r.l. is the largest multi-national Italian race car manufacturer, founded by its current President, Giampaolo Dallara. After working for Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini and De Tomaso, in 1972 in his native village of Varano de' M ...

Mygale Mygale Racing Car Constructor (Mygale SARL) was a French racing car manufacturer that specialised in the production of Open wheel car, single seater chassis for use in formula racing. It is most notable for its Formula Ford chassis. Mygale also ...

Reynard Reynard the Fox is a list of literary cycles, literary cycle of medieval allegorical Folklore of the Low Countries, Dutch, English folklore, English, French folklore, French and German folklore, German fables. The first extant versions of the cy ...

References

External links

Official Web Page
formula3.com.au
Sporting & Technical Regulations and Commercial Arrangements
Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 21 July 2009
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
cams.com.au
CAMS Manual
camsmanual.com.au {{Formula Regional 1999 establishments in Australia Formula racing Motorsport categories in Australia

History – The First Era

History – The Modern Era

List of Champions

Australian Formula 3 National Series

Australian Formula 3 Championship

Australian Formula 3 Championship / Australian Drivers' Championship

Australian Formula 3 Championship

Australian Formula Open Championship

List of constructors in Australian Formula 3

Historic Era

Modern Era

References

See also

External links