Australian Formula 3. The Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship is Australia's key 'wings and slicks' racing championship, melding the international reputation of 'Formula Three' with the more than 50-year history of the Australian Drivers Championship and CAMS Gold Star award. The result is a fiercely competitive, affordable championship that boasts current technology and the quickest racing cars in the country. Drivers from more than ten nations including some of Australia's finest young talent, have passed through Australian Formula 3 not only showcasing its ability to provide young drivers with the best proving ground for their talents, but enhancing the competition as well. The Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship is managed by Formula 3 Management Pty. Ltd, a company formed with the sole purpose of promoting and growing 'Wings and Slicks' racing in Australia. There are no ulterior motives, no other business agendas just the competitive functioning of a premier open wheel category. The four key factors that make up the mission statement of Formula 3 Management are:
• Provide the most cost-effective championship possible. • Offer the most competitive racing possible • Promote a championship that participates on the best circuits and biggest Events • Offer the best 'training base' for drivers seeking to progress their career, OR a stable platform for drivers to simply enjoy driving the best racing cars in Australia. The result of this hard work is a 2012 championship that offers the best balance of the four key criteria above yet seen in an Australian Wings and Slicks Championship. 2012 will see Formula 3 participate in four V8 Supercar Championship rounds and in e cess of 500,000 spectators. The champion ship will return Formula cars to Mount Panorama, Bathurst, for the first time in more than 30 years and will take in the best circuits For our cars in Eastern Creek and Phillip Island. Meanwhile, new model vehicles will compete with existing machinery in a field full of chassis and engine diversity and stunning vehicles. 2012 will be the best year of Australian Formula 3 yet.
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2012 Championship. The 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship schedule is the best ever assembled for the series. The calendar is made up of four (4) rounds supporting the V8 Supercars Championship, two rounds with the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships and the stand-alone Bathurst Motor Festival at Mount Panorama. This will expose Formula 3 to a combined audience of over 450,000 people and at some of the best events in the country.
But it’s not just big events - it’s also about great drivers circuits. From the legendary Adelaide street circuit to Phillip Island, from Eastern Creek to the biggest one of all - Mount Panorama’s 6.123 kilometres of undulations and turns - this is a series of drivers cars on drivers’ tracks. Each circuit F3 has previously visited has also produced stunning racing more often than not - making the 2012 championship season potentially the most exciting yet.
Round 1 - Clipsal 500 Adelaide (March 1-4) Attracting more than 280,000 people every year across four action-packed days, the Clipsal 500 is Australia’s largest domestic motor sport event. Formula 3 returns to the streets of Adelaide for the first time since 2009 and will continue the long legacy of ‘wings and slicks’ racing on the famous street circuits that made names like Mansell, Senna and Prost so famous on these shores.
Round 2 - Symmons Plains V8 Supercars (March 30 - April 1) The track might be little, but it’s also one of the best circuits for wings and slicks in Australia. It’s long straights and low downforce levels mean plenty of slipstreaming and overtaking and always thrilling racing. Tassie fans know about F3. several stand alone rounds there in the past have established the category on the Apple Isle, and running with the V8’s only builds that profile.
Round 3 - Bathurst Motor Festival (April 6-8) The historic debut of Formula 3 cars at Mount Panorama for the first time. Five years in the making, Formula 3 joins the ever growing Easter long weekend Event for the first time in 2011 as Wings and Slicks cars make their return to Mount Panorama for the first time since 1979. This will be high profile and watched by internationals who all want to know just how fast F3 cars can go on the Magical mountain.
Round 4 - SkyCity Triple Crown (June 15-17) Racing for the City of Darwin F3 Super Prix, Formula 3 cars made their debut at the Hidden Valley raceway in 2011 and it was a massive success, introducing the cars to the top end audience for the first time. The track suits F3 cars to a tee, with the high downforce middle sector balanced out by a long straight with plenty of slipstreaming.
Round 5 - Eastern Creek Raceway (July 13-15) Eastern Creek presents a massive challenge for Formula 3 drivers. It’s long corners create plenty of G’s on the drivers bodies, making this a test of the driver and the car setup. F3 cars lap Eastern Creek in 1m22 seconds - only 3 seconds off the lap record (set by an A1GP car) and miles faster than just about anything else. A great place to watch the cars work.
Round 6 - Queensland Raceway (August 3 - 5) With a new track surface, Queensland Raceway is a welcome return venue for the F3 Championship in 2012, racing with the V8 Supercars as they did in 2009, putting on a great show for the crowd. With the bumps gone, this simple-looking circuit is deceptively quick and might be called the ‘paperclip’ - but produces great racing where F3 cars can show their braking potential.
Round 7 - Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (September 21 - 23) The ultimate circuit. A proper wings and slicks circuit where F3 cars average 182km/hr per lap, are flat out for 60 seconds out of an 86 second lap, and are six to eight seconds quicker than a V8 Supercar. The grand finale in 2012 will be fought out at this picturesque circuit by the sea, with the great spectacle of the quickest cars on the quickest track to decide the championship.
Stats & Facts in brief. All time race wins:
Lap Records:
There have been 209 Championship points paying Australian Formula 3 races held in Australia since 1999, the year F3 was recognised as a National Series / championship by CAMS.
Formula 3 cars hold the Outright track lap records at the Adelaide Parklands Street circuit, Morgan Park (QLD) and Wakefield Park (NSW) circuits.
There have been 35 different race winners in total. 1. Paul Stevenson 17 2. Tim Macrow 17 3. James Winslow 16 4. Peter Hackett 12 5. Ben Clucas 12 6. Chris Gilmour 11 7. James Manderson 10 8. Mitch Evans 8 9. Aaron Caratti 8 10. Michael Caruso 8 All time Podiums: From 1999-2009 there were two races per round. From 2010-present there have been three races held per event. 58 Different drivers have stood on the podium of a points-paying Australian F3 Championship race. 1. Tim Macrow 46 2. Chris Gilmour 40 3. Darren Palmer 30 4. Peter Hackett 26 5. James Winslow 25 6. Michael Trimble 24 7. Paul Stephenson 24 8. Leanne Tander 23 9. James Manderson 21 10. Tom Tweedie 20
In 2011 five separate Formula 3 lap records were re-established, at Eastern Creek, Sandown, Winton, Morgan Park and Hidden Valley. Qualifying records were also set at the same circuits in 2011. Winners: 2011 Represented the second-best year in F3 history regarding the number of different winners throughout the season (6). The best (7) was set in 2007. Australian F3 averages 4.5 winners per season in it’s 13 season history. Championship Battle: In 9 of the 13 seasons contested, the F3 drivers championship has been decided in the final round of the season on four of those nine between three drivers. On 7 occasions the title has been decided by less than 10 points, and on 5 occasions by less than five points. There has only been one repeat champion, Paul Stephenson, in 1999-2000. Since then no driver has successfully been able to defend his / her title. More facts and stats are available at www.formula3.com.au
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The Racing. •
7 Rounds across 6 states
Points allocation:
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3 races per round
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2x 20m or 30m practice sessions per round
Pole Position: 1 Point Sprint Races: 12,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 Feature Race: 20,15,12,10,8,6,4,3,2,1 Fastest Lap: 1 Point for the driver who sets the fastest lap in each race.
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2x Sprint (15-20m) races per round
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1x Feature / Trophy race per round
Selected rounds with 20 minute 'All in' Qualifying. Selected rounds featuring 'Elimination' Qualifying, where all cars take to the circuit for 15 minutes to set the grid positions for 7th and back. The first six cars progress to a further 10 minute session (after a 5 minute break) to set the first three rows.
Testing: Championship rules stipulate that registered championship competitors may only complete One (1) test day per round of the championship from a period commencing two weeks prior to the first round of the championship and the completion of the final round. More information will be updated on this page following conformation of the 2012 CAMS Sporting & Technical regulations.
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The Forpark Australia Scholarship. Around the world Formula 3 has been responsible for developing the driving skills of thousands of young drivers to prepare them for a career in motorsport. However there has never been a cohesive program designed to give drivers a value for money opportunity to show what they are capable of. A complete two-year program that gave drivers an introductory season before progressing through to a championship drive - with funding in support - has been needed. However this need has now been addressed. In partnership with Forpark Australia, Formula 3 Management will continue the Forpark Australian Formula 3 Scholarship, awarded for the first time in 2011 to Steel Guiliana. The Forpark Scholarship will provide an opportunity for the selected driver to progress from an initial season in Formula 3's National Class to a fullyfledged championship drive the following season and as such, develop an ideal platform for national or international motorsport stardom. The Forpark Australian F3 Scholarship (referenced herby as 'The Scholarship') will encompass young drivers (under
the age of 23) racing in the National Class, for Formula 3 Vehicles built between 1999 and 2004. At the conclusion of the 2012 season a selection panel will be formed; This selection panel will then select one driver to be the worthy recipient of the Scholarship award, a fund of AUD$50,000 to go towards a championship class drive in the 2013 Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship. As such, The Scholarship winner may not be the driver that wins the class - it will be the driver deemed most suitable and likely to be successful in an outright car that fulfils the criteria laid out by the selection panel. This will ensure each driver competing in the National Class has an equal chance to win the Forpark Scholarship. Drivers will be judged on the following criteria (Full criteria to be published and made available prior to 2011 season commencement) - Speed and performance - Technical Feedback - Fitness - Media performance & Skills - Attitude - likelihood to succeed in a career - Marketability
Awards & Prizes. CAMS AUSTRALIAN DRIVERS CHAMPIONSHIP & GOLD STAR AWARD The oldest most continually awarded prize in Australian Motorsport, Formula 3 has raced for the Australian Drivers Championship since 2005. Since 1957 some of the most famous names of Australian Motorsport have won the title, including Lex Davison, Kevin Bartlett, Alfredo Costanzo, John Bowe, David Brabham, Mark Skaife, Jason Bright, Scott Dixon, Will Power and more.
MACAU GRAND PRIX ENTRY The winner of the 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers' Championship will be submitted to the organisers of the Macau Grand Prix for entry consideration, with acceptance a strong likelihood if an adequate budget and team partnership can be sought by the driver in question. Entry to this event is by invitation only and Formula 3 Champions receive high priority. FORMULA 3 POLE AWARD
A full history of this storied award and a list of winners since it’s inception can be found at www.formula3.com.au.
At time of printing this award is yet to be confirmed. Please visit www.formula3.com.au for more information and up-to-date news.
TEAM BRM PORSCHE CITY INDEX CARRERA CUP TEST
FORMULA 3 FASTEST LAP AWARD
In partnership with Team BRM, the 2012 Formula 3 Australian Drivers' Champion will receive a fully-funded test day in a Porsche Carrera Cup race car with Team BRM, twotime race winners in the 2011 Carrera Cup Championship. The test will be staged at the conclusion of the 2012 racing season and will include a minimum 50 laps, full staffing and crash damage insurance.
At time of printing this award is yet to be confirmed. Please visit www.formula3.com.au for more information and up-to-date news.
Australia’s fastest. How fast is fast? Formula 3 cars are Australia’s fastest circuit racing cars but just how fast do they go? Powered by a 2.0L Four-Cylinder engine producing approximately 230BHP (190kw) at 7,500RPM. Mandated racing weight of 540kg (550KG for 2008– cars). Full Carbon fibre chassis, made by Dallara (Italy) or Mygale (France). Six-Speed Sequential gearbox.
The result of all that? A Formula 3 car will lap Phillip Island, for instance, in 1m24 seconds. That’s seven seconds quicker than Casey Stoner’s MotoGP Honda and nine seconds up on a V8 Supercar. The car will be flat for 60 seconds of that 84 second lap, touching the brakes only four times out of the 12 corners. The average lap speed is 183km/hr. Turn one is taken flat out at 257km/hr (with a slight tow).
Control Kumho Slick Tyres. Fast. FIA Formula 1 crash safety standards, including rear and side impact protection and driver extraction technology.
How much is Formula 3, really? Formula 3 Australia is the most cost-effective way of going international-spec wings and slicks racing in Australasia - it’s as simple as that. In fact, Formula 3 is little more expensive than a full season of National Formula Ford, with a majority of operating costs identical, vehicle purchase prices very similar and entry fees substantially cheaper.
Lease drive packages are of course available with our professional teams (see pages 10-11) or vehicles can be run by owner-drivers or family teams with great success. Whilst there is some technical knowledge required information and support is freely available from within the Formula 3 community. Average Vehicle purchase price; $45,000 (F399/00/01 Dallara), $65-70,000 (F302/03/04 Dallara), $75-90,000 (F307/ Dallara) Running Costs: On average, ‘fixed’ round by round costs generally amount to between $9,000 - $15,000 per round inclusive, depending on the level of investment the competitor desires, or is able, to input. This include entry fees ($1500 / round), tyres ($1600 / round), fuel Average = $600/ Round), amortising the cost of an engine rebuild and all parts costs over eight rounds. Formula 3 Management can happily provide a more detailed rundown of ‘raw’ prices of all components required to run a Formula 3 car on request. ‘Lease Drives’ are readily available with prices on request from our teams however generally range between $175,000 - $200,000 for a championship / Gold Star class drive.
Media & Sponsorship. Exposure Overview: The Australian Formula 3 Championship is exposed to a diverse and wide array of spectators and media at each round. Formula 3 is ideally positioned to be able to offer value for money sponsorships that deliver ‘bang for your buck’ value unable to be matched anywhere else in motorsport. Race Torque Media is Formula 3’s dedicated media contractor and provides all media services to the championship. The Australian Formula 3 Championship receives regular coverage on the popular SBS show, Speedweek. This coverage is also shown on FOX Sports’ dedicated motorsport channel SPEED TV. In total, each Shannons Nationals F3 show will receive one hour of broadcast exposure on two networks. *V8 Supercar round TV package details to be advised. The SBS coverage receives an average of 125,000 viewers per week, nationally. FOX Sports’ coverage is beamed to over 1.8 million subscribers, and played regularly in bars, clubs and hotels to a large audience. The estimated audience of the Fox coverage is 50,000 – 85,000 per show.
Branding recognition:
Print Media:
A media survey conducted across the first three rounds of the 2010 championship showed F3 delivered the following results to sponsors:
In 2011 the series has received regular print and online coverage in the following publications:
Kumho Tyres (Sponsor, Tyre supplier): Media equivalency value of $175,900
Auto Action, Motorsport News, Motorsport E-News, speedcafe.com.au, Kart Magazine, Kart Racing, AutoRacing Daily, NZ Speed sport, AutoSport (UK), Crash.net, Autosport.com, motorsport.com and more.
Meguiar’s (Pole award sponsor): Media equivalency value of $65,300 Website & Social Media: Website traffic: The Formula 3 website is one of the most-visited category website in Australian Motorsport. In 2010 the site averaged 39,750 page impressions per month.
This includes event specific media in major daily newspapers including the Advertiser, Examiner, Mercury, Age, Herald Sun and Sydney Morning Herald. The series has also received radio coverage on major stations in Adelaide, Melbourne (SEN Sports), Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Launceston
By comparison the V8 Utes website recorded an average of 37,900 page impressions per month in 2009. The Shannons Nationals website received 14,500 page impressions per month. The F3 Australian Drivers Championship maintains an active presence in social networking, including a Facebook Fan Page and a Twitter site, which combined have a reach of several thousand ‘followers’ - a number that is consistently growing.
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Formula 3 Teams. The Formula 3 Australian Drivers Championship has a cachet of strong, professional teams that offer arrive -and-drive packages to competitors. Alternatively, many of our family-based operations also offer solutions to becoming competitive in Formula 3 racing quickly. Feel free to contact any of our teams here for more information.
www.astutimotorsport.net Contact: Sam Astuti - 0412 247 306 astutimotorsport@three.com.au Astuti Motorsport is one of Australia’s most rapidly growing race teams and is based in Melbourne, Victoria. Formed by former racer Sam Astuti, the team prepares cars for the heat of competition in the
www.bfracing.com Contact Brett Francis: 0414 390 471| brett@bfracing.com Based in Queensland’s "Motorsport Hub", bf racing has a large workshop facility focussed solely on preparing race-winning cars. The team has prepared state-championship winning cars in Formula Ford and Formula 3 (amongst others) and in 2011 prepared the successful campaign on the National Formula 3 championship by Queensland drivers Ben Gersekowski and Roman Krumins.
www.teambrm.com.au Contact Mark Rundle: 0400 099 978 | brm@chariot.net.au Adelaide-based Team BRM are the defending champion team, having won the outright title the last three seasons. The team has a tradition of success and is now Australia’s most successful Open-wheel team currently operating. Team BRM has won Six F3 titles and Four Australian Drivers Championship / Gold Star titles. Team BRM has won more than 120 races.
www.gilmourracing.com.au Contact Errol Gilmour 0417 454 229 | gilmourerrolg@bigpond.com Gilmour Racing has been established in Australian F3 since 2004, finishing second in the championship that year and winning the F3 National Class in 2007. The team reached the pinnacle in 2011, winning outright with Chris Gilmour. In 2012 Gilmour Racing
Harvest Motorsport Contact Terry Stott 0408 963 907 | harvest_motorsport@hotmail.com Harvest Motorsport is a new team entering the championship for the first time in 2012. The team is managed by experienced F3 mechanic Terry Stott, who has spent time with Australia’s top teams
www.r-tek.com.au Contact Ian Richards 0403 054 602 | ianrichards@r-tek.com.au R-Tek Motorsport Services is a full time, full service, totally professional Formula 3 Race Team. Based in South Australia, R-Tek Motorsport Services has the race cars, the logistics, and the facilities to run drivers in the fastest motor sport category in Australia. It also has the capability to prepare, transport and run a complete race event service (pit crew, data acquisition, engineering, catering) for competitors who wish to bring their own cars to the team.
Sponsors.
KUMHO TYRES - Official Tyre provider and major sponsor
FORPARK AUSTRALIA - Scholarship supporter
Since the establishment of Kumho and Company Incorporated, in September 1960. Kumho has contributed greatly to the enhancement of the Korean and the world tyre industry.
Since 1979 Forpark Australia has been manufacturing and supplying playground equipment and park furniture to local government, education and commercial business throughout Australia.
Despite our short history, Kumho has succeeded in receiving international recognition with our E1 mark of approval by the European Economic Committee, and we have also succeeded in developing 45, 40, 35 and 30 series ZR level tyres for racing and high performance vehicles and, for the first time, tyres for commercial airlines. As a result, in 1992, Kumho entered the ranks of the world's top ten tyre manufacturers.
A family owned Australian company, Forpark is one of the largest manufacturers of commercial playground equipment in the country and has offices in every state, as well as a growing export market.
Kumho has succeeded in the development of superior tyres for all vehicles including high performance vehicles, passenger vehicles, sports utility vehicles, recreational vehicles, light trucks, heavy truck and buses, industrial vehicles, agricultural vehicles, mining vehicles, Construction vehicles and aircraft.
ELF (RACE FUELS AUSTRALIA)
PERFORMANCE FRICTON BRAKES
Official Fuel of Formula 3 Race Fuels Australia has agreed to become the Official Fuel of Formula 3. Each Entry utilising ELF WRF 102 octane racing fuel for the full 2011 season will receive 1x 0.5L bottle of ELF Brake Fluid Per Round. The total value of this is approx $400.00. To be eligible for this incentive, competitors will be required to carry ELF branding on vehicles at all times in the 2011 Championship.
Preferred Brake Supplier to Formula 3 As a partner to the F3ADC, Performance Friction Brakes (PFC) are offering significant savings on Brake Callipers, Rotors and Pads throughout the 2011 season. A full price list is available on request from Formula 3 Management.
(Location / positioning of decals to be advised by Formula 3 Management).
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FOR MORE INFORMATION: Richard Craill Formula 3 Management Pty. Ltd. 0408 813 141 richard.craill@formula3.com.au
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