‘Old’ F3 faces tough winter

Things aren’t looking good for the future of ‘traditional’ Formula 3 racing in Europe. Euroformula Open, which has continued to adhere to the philosophy of the old pre-2019 F3 category with the Dallara 320 chassis, drew its season to a close at Barcelona last weekend with just nine cars.

The series promoted by the Spanish GT Sport organisation of Jesus Pareja has suffered from being outside the

FIA umbrella, as well as domination from Motopark and its sister team Cryptotower. The German operation has won 24 of the 26 races this season and now fields six of the nine cars on the grid.

Pareja is understood to be pushing on in a bid to revitalise EFO for 2023, but the market looks set to be diluted by a new initiative from the organisers of the Spanish Formula 4 Champi0nship. Spanish F4, which it is understood is jointly owned by five of its teams each with a 20% stake, has positioned itself below Europe’s premier F4 contests in Italy and Germany but using the same Tatuusabarth combination, and has surged to 30-car grids in recent seasons. But most of its drivers lack the budget or are not ready to graduate direct to Formula Regi0nal European or FIA F3 competition.

Therefore, the Spanish F4 top brass are investigating a Gb3-style series to which its drivers can progress. This is planned for 2023, meaning a derivative of one of the Tatuus chassis at this level is the most likely scenario, although Autosport was unable to reach the organisers as we went to press.

Motopark driver Oliver Goethe wrapped up the EFO crown at Barcelona last weekend, while team-mate and ex-gb3 racer Frederick Lubin (leading below), one of three British drivers in the field, scored his maiden win in the final race.