A Global Fight for the Title: A Rookie’s Guide to Formula 3

In this series, we explore sports from every corner of the globe and break them down so that even complete beginners can follow along and get involved. Our goal is to make every sport fun and accessible for everyone.

Today, we examine the third tier of open-wheel motorsport, Formula 3.

(Image Credits to: the Official Formula 3 website)

Formula 3 (F3) is a global championship that runs alongside the world of Formula 1, spanning from round one in Melbourne, Australia, to the season finale in Monza, Italy. Competing in 10 rounds across 3 continents, the 30 young drivers spend March to September fighting for the championship and learning the same tracks that Formula 1 competes on.

Created in 2019, the championship came to life by combining GP3 and European F3. This allowed there to be one cohesive Formula 3 series that allows junior motorsport talents to learn tyres and tracks whilst on showcase to F1, which allows the drivers to develop both their driving skills and careers. 

Many current and former F1 drivers have competed in F3 during their rise through the ranks, such as Oscar Piastri and Gabriel Bortoleto - both of whom were champions (2020, 2023) - Ollie Bearman, Liam Lawson, and many more.

There are 10 teams in the pitlane, with each fielding 3 drivers, creating a field of 30. With a minimum age of 16, many drivers are still only starting the art of racing. The previous season's championship result allocates the teams their racing numbers. 

(Image Credits to Dutch Photo Agency)

F3 drivers have to fund their own racing seats. To assist with this, many drivers join, or are already part of F1 development teams. Their associated F1 team then helps fund the driver but also finds them sponsorships which can also assist in the financial side of racing. As a result of these different F1 development team associations and sponsorships, the F3 grid is made up of many different liveries, all showcasing the drivers' sponsors and development team, if they have one. Current driver Alessandro Giusti is part of the Williams Racing Development team, so he competes with a Williams livery instead of MP Motorsport’s livery. Similar to F1, each team uses red, white and yellow T-Bar colours to allow spectators to differentiate the drivers at high speeds.

A weekend consists of one forty-five-minute practice session early Friday morning, followed by a thirty-minute qualifying session to set both grids for the remainder of the weekend. The top qualifier is awarded the Pirelli pole position award and an extra two points to their championship position.

(Image Credits to the Official Formula 3 website)

Saturday sees the F3 Sprint Race run over roughly 100 kilometres or 40 minutes +1 lap. The top 12 grid positions for this race is set by reversing the top 12 finishers from Friday’s Qualifying session. This means that the driver on pole starts 12th. The remainder of the grid stays the same. The Sprint Race also features reduced points, making the Feature Race on Sunday all the more exciting. In the Sprint Race, the top 10 finishing drivers will receive points, with the winner receiving 10 down to one point for the driver in tenth. An additional point is awarded to the driver who completes the fastest lap, provided they are within the top 10.

On Sunday, F3 then compete in a Feature Race over 120 kilometres or 45 minutes +1 lap, with the starting grid being completely reflective of Friday's qualifying session. Points are handed out to the top ten finishers in F1 Grand Prix style allocation, plus a point for the fastest lap, also provided they are within the top 10. Due to the shorter style races, F3 doesn’t require pit stops in either race, but drivers may pit if necessary or if a safety car is thrown. They are allotted 4 sets of slick tyres and 2 sets of treaded wet weather tyres for the weekend.

Article written by Ellie Swain