Win in British Formula 3 and you’re marked as a man-to-watch. Around the world, no other race series has produced as many Grand Prix winners and World Champions as British Formula 3. If a race driver matches intention with achievement in this championship, what may have started as a passion becomes a career. Ayrton Senna, the man who redefined Grand Prix speed in the late Eighties and early Nineties, made his name in British Formula 3. Senna won twelve F3 races in 1983. He moved straight to Formula 1 and in 1988, 1990 and 1991 was crowned World Champion.

These are the ingredients of Formula 3, but ultimately races are won by attention to detail. Cars are adjusted in millimetres, tenths, often hundredths of a second are vital. Top teams spend a month testing through the season; thirty-plus days and thousands of miles pounding round the circuits to shave fractions off a lap time, just to stay competitive. Drivers are coached in the subtleties of car set-up and taught the wisdom of racecraft, so the better to prepare them for Formula 1.

Young race drivers come to this country from all over the world each spring to race in the British Formula 3 Championship. The rewards are obvious: less than six months after winning the 1990 British F3 title, Mika Hakkinen was a Grand Prix driver for Team lotus. British Formula 3 is the ultimate stepping-stone in motor racing, the final confirmation that a driver has what it takes to succeed in the zero-defect world of Formula 1. As a series, British Formula 3 racing is one of the country’s leading sporting success stories with a strong international media following.

In today’s F1 Championship, one third of the drivers graduated from British F3 including Rubens Barrichello, Juan Pablo Montoya, David Coulthard, Jenson Button, Takuma Sato, and Mark Webber.

British F3 Graduates

Jenson Button

Completed the 1999 British Formula3 season with Promatecme before landing a Williams Grand Prix drive. Went on to be a Grand prix winner with Honda.

Juan Pablo Montoya

The Colombian had a strong season in F3 in 1996. Gone on to start over 85 F1 Grand Prix, winning 7 times

Mika Hakkinen

Started F3 in 1989, dominated the 1990 season. 6 Months later was a Grand Prix driver for Team lotus.He went on to win F1 World Championships with McLaren.

Ayrton Senna

Had a close season in 1983 with Martin Brundle, won season at last event. Started F1 in 1984, went on to become one of the greatest F1 drivers ever!