Points for overtakes in British Formula 3
THE BRDC BRITISH FORMULA 3 Championship has announced a radical format shake-up, including a complete reversed grid for one race per weekend and points for gaining positions.
The changes only affect the second of the three races held at each round. Previously, the top eight race-one finishers were reversed on the race-two grid, but all cars that finish race one – and set a fastest lap within 103% of the overall fastest lap – will now be reversed.
Points will then be awarded based on the number of places gained between the start and finishing positions, as well as for the result itself.
The changes have been introduced by ex-formula 1 driver Jonathan Palmer’s Motorsport Vision company, which operates BRDC British F3, to promote overtaking.
“MSV has a history of being innovative to maximise the appeal of motorsport,” said Palmer, “and with the full-reversed-grid system, coupled with a carefully derived points system, the BRDC British F3 Championship will produce some captivating racing for drivers, teams and fans to enjoy while adding to the learning value for drivers by giving them far more opportunities to overtake and reward them when they do.”
The grid for race three will remain based on the outright fastest lap achieved by each driver across the first and second races of the weekend, while the grid for race one will still be decided by a qualifying session.
Jamie Chadwick will remain in the BRDC British Formula 3 Championship this season, moving to Douglas Motorsport.
The 19-year-old, who won the GT4 class of the British GT Championship in 2015, finished ninth in the points last year with Double R Racing, taking a best result of third.
“I wanted to come back with Double R, but all their seats were full so I had a conversation with Wayne [Douglas, team principal] and it seemed like a really good fit,” she said.
“He runs a really good team and I will work with my engineer from last year, which is really important. It [the title] has got to be my aim. The whole point of doing two years is so I can have a big push for the championship.”