The F3 Factor

Foto Alberto de Abreu Sodré / Communiqué

The audience for this year Formula One weekend in Brasil will have the chance to see young drivers and Teams of South America Formula 3 series competing in two races (Saturday and Sunday).

Many well know talents such as Rubens Barrichello, Helio Castroneves, Antonio Da Mata, Lucas Di Grassi, Christian Fittipaldi, Nelsinho Piquet,  Bruno Junqueira, Xandinho Negrão and Vitor Meira, just to mention a few, have gained their share of experience with the Formula 3 Sul-Americana (as called in Portuguese)

This Formula 3 series gives the opportunity for Young drivers from the southern part of the Americas to compete locally in a series known as the “mini Formula  1". Differently than other Junior formulas, where the driver receives a “off the shelve” car to compete, F3 offers the opportunity for young drivers to become skilled on how to setup the cars to their taste, play with aerodynamics, mechanical aspects, electronics and interact with engineers and mechanics. Not to mention learn to deal with the speed, as F3 engines have way more horsepower than any other Junior formula. Many talents have vanished trying to enter top categories like F1 due to the lack of those experiences. Even drivers that did good in other Junior formulas and made trough the F1 gate for one reason or another, had nothing more than a special sit to watch the race from far behind. The ultimate proof of F3 importance is that on the past 25 years, not many drivers have won the F1 world championship without a solid F3 experience on their belt.

Before 1987, the year that F3 Sul-Americana started, drivers like Ayrton Senna, Emerson Fittipaldi, and Nelson Piquet, just to mention the F1 world champions had to move to Europe, many living in garages to be able to learn from the F3 experience.

Still there is a lot of criticism about F3 costs. However one has to realize that F3 is the top of its class. There are many other Junior formulas out there for less than half of the cost already. Lowering the cost of F3 by taking off its differential, turning it in to just another “off the shelve formula”, will not do any good for the sport of motor race. F3 is a mandatory learning experience for those who have the personal desire to get the crowd off the bed early on Sunday mornings.  

On the following days we will have more English articles to help our visitors get the best out of their stay in São Paulo for the Grand Prix weekend.