1997 British Formula Three Championship

The 1997 British Formula Three season was the 47th British Formula Three Championship, won by Jonny Kane. The season started on 23 March at Donington Park and ended at Thruxton on 12 October following sixteen races. Kane built on a strong finish to his 1996 campaign by scoring podium finishes at each of the first six races in 1997. This would be enough to keep title rival Nicolas Minassian at bay, who was hindered by a disqualification from second place and a two-race ban for unsportsmanlike behaviour at the third round at Thruxton. The Frenchman was baulked by backmarker Michael Bentwood whilst leading, allowing Kane to overtake and take victory. After the chequered flag, the infuriated Minassian proceeded to brake-test Bentwood to a halt and hurl gravel towards the Englishman. Without having lost the 15 points awarded for second position as well as further potential points at the next two races, it is highly likely that Minassian would have been champion.

Drivers and Teams

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Team No. Driver Chassis Engine Rounds
Class A
  Stewart Racing 1   Jonny Kane Dallara F397 Mugen Honda All
2   Peter Dumbreck All
  Fortec Motorsport 3   Ben Collins Dallara F397 HKS Mitsubishi All
4   Brian Smith All
  Promatecme 5   Enrique Bernoldi Dallara F397 Renault All
6   Nicolas Minassian 1-3, 6-16
  Darren Manning 4-5
  Alan Docking Racing 7   Haruki Kurosawa Dallara F397 Mugen Honda All
8   Yudai Igarashi All
11   Mark Webber All
  SpeedSport F3 9   Michael Bentwood Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1, 3-16
10   Darren Manning Dallara F396 1-3, 6-16
  Andy Priaulx 4-5
  Martin Donnelly Racing 14   Mark Shaw Dallara F397 Opel All
15   Mario Haberfeld All
  Carlin Motorsport 25   Henry Stanton Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1-9, 11, 14
  Jamie Spence 16
  TOM'S 16   Giovanni Anapoli TOM'S 037F Toyota 1-4
  Jamie Spence 5-8
  Andy Priaulx 15-16
17   Kevin McGarrity 1-10
19   Darren Turner 7-13
32   Ricardo Mauricio 7-16
  DC Cook Motorsport 18   Guy Smith Dallara F397 Opel All
22   Paula Cook All
  Portman Racing 21   Darren Turner Dallara F397 HKS Mitsubishi 1-5
  Warren Hughes 9-16
27   Alex Yoong 14-15
  MRS 32   Ricardo Mauricio Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1-5
  Intersport 24   Simon Wills Dallara F397 Opel All
  DKS 25   Tommy Field TOM'S 037F Toyota 8
  Jamie Spence 12-13
  Rowan Racing 26   Martin O'Connell TOM'S 037F Toyota 12-16
  ASM 30   David Saelens Dallara F397 Opel 14
31   Sebastien Philippe 14
  La Filiere 33   Franck Montagny Martini MK73 Opel 14
34   Oriol Servia 14
35   Marcel Fässler 14
  Van Amersfoort Racing 36   Bas Leinders Dallara F397 Opel 14
  Prema Powerteam 37   Donny Crevels Dallara F397 Opel 14
  Opel Team BSR 38   Andreas Scheld Dallara F397 Opel 14
  JB Motorsports 39   Yves Olivier Dallara F397 Opel 14
Class B
  Rowan Racing 51   Martin O'Connell Dallara F395 Toyota 1-6, 8-11
  Ian James 14-15
  Tarry Falcon Racing 52   Jeremy Gumbley Dallara F396 Mugen Honda 8
  Damon Wellman 12-13, 15-16

Race calendar and results

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Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Class B Winner
1   Donington Park 23 March   Guy Smith   Jonny Kane   Jonny Kane   Stewart Racing No Finishers
2   Silverstone 6 April   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme No Finishers
3   Thruxton 13 April   Nicolas Minassian   Peter Dumbreck   Jonny Kane   Stewart Racing   Martin O'Connell
4   Brands Hatch 27 April   Mark Webber   Mark Webber   Mark Webber   Alan Docking Racing   Martin O'Connell
5   Silverstone 11 May   Mark Webber   Jonny Kane   Jonny Kane   Stewart Racing   Martin O'Connell
6   Croft 18 May   Jonny Kane   Peter Dumbreck   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Martin O'Connell
7   Oulton Park 22 June   Jonny Kane   Peter Dumbreck   Peter Dumbreck   Stewart Racing No Entrants
8   Silverstone 12 July   Nicolas Minassian   Enrique Bernoldi   Mario Haberfeld   Martin Donnelly Racing   Martin O'Connell
9   Pembrey 17 August   Mark Webber   Brian Smith   Brian Smith   Fortec Motorsport No Finishers
10   Ricardo Mauricio   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Martin O'Connell
11   Donington Park 24 August   Nicolas Minassian   Martin O'Connell   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Martin O'Connell
12   Snetterton 14 September   Brian Smith   Enrique Bernoldi   Mario Haberfeld   Martin Donnelly Racing   Damon Wellman
13   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Damon Wellman
14*   Spa-Francorchamps 28 September   Franck Montagny   Nicolas Minassian   Enrique Bernoldi   Promatecme No Finishers
15   Silverstone 5 October   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Ian James
16   Thruxton 12 October   Jonny Kane   Guy Smith   Nicolas Minassian   Promatecme   Damon Wellman
  • Round 14 was contested by an assortment of entrants from other European F3 championships; they were eligible to score points.

Championship

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Championship Class

Pos Driver DON
 
SIL
 
THR
 
BRH
 
SIL
 
CRO
 
OUL
 
SIL
 
PEM
 
DON
 
SNE
 
SPA
 
SIL
 
THR
 
Pts
Class A
1   Jonny Kane 1 3 1 3 1 2 4 Ret 2 6 2 3 2 NS 5 2 199
2   Nicolas Minassian 4 1 DSQ EX EX 1 Ret 3 Ret 1 1 4 1 6 1 1 183
3   Peter Dumbreck 5 2 3 2 4 3 1 13 3 Ret 5 6 5 NS 7 4 149
4   Mark Webber 6 6 Ret 1 8 4 8 2 4 3 4 Ret 6 4 3 7 131
5   Enrique Bernoldi 3 INJ INJ 14 6 5 Ret 10 8 2 8 2 3 1 2 3 127
6   Mario Haberfeld 9 Ret 7 5 3 11 5 1 Ret 4 Ret 1 7 7 21 5 108
7   Brian Smith Ret 7 4 7 17 8 7 5 1 10 7 7 10 NS 13 Ret 72
8   Ben Collins 12 5 8 6 13 7 2 8 11 8 Ret NS NS 8 4 8 64
9   Guy Smith 2 10 10 8 14 12 6 6 15 9 6 Ret 4 24 8 14 60
10   Kevin McGarrity 7 NS Ret Ret 11 9 3 4 6 Ret 36
11   Ricardo Mauricio 14 11 6 Ret 15 Ret 7 5 Ret Ret 8 Ret 9 10 Ret 26
12   Darren Manning 10 4 NS 9 5 14 Ret 12 Ret 14 Ret 14 11 NS 9 12 26
13   Simon Wills 8 Ret 9 11 9 10 Ret 16 Ret 7 11 9 12 12 Ret 11 22
14   Jamie Spence 7 Ret Ret 9 5 9 Ret 18
15   Warren Hughes 14 16 9 11 8 Ret 6 6 18
16   Mark Shaw 11 9 5 13 Ret 16 9 17 9 13 13 Ret 13 22 12 Ret 16
17   David Saelens 2 15
18   Franck Montagny 3 12
19   Oriol Servia 5 8
20   Paula Cook 13 NS 12 Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret 7 11 16 Ret Ret 20 18 10 7
21   Giovanni Anapoli Ret 8 13 Ret 3
22   Martin O'Connell Ret 14 11 15 9 2
23   Darren Turner Ret 14 11 Ret 16 Ret 14 Ret 12 15 10 18 2
24   Henry Stanton Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret NS NS 11 Ret 10 23 2
25   Michael Bentwood 15 14 10 12 15 11 19 13 17 17 12 16 21 16 13 1
26   Andy Priaulx 16 10 Ret 17 1
27   Haruki Kurosawa 16 13 Ret 12 Ret 13 12 18 10 Ret 14 Ret Ret 19 17 15 1
28   Bas Leinders 10 1
29   Alex Yoong 16 11
30   Yudai Igarashi 17 15 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 15 12 13 15 Ret 14 16
31   Sebastien Philippe 13
32   Donny Crevels 14
33   Andreas Scheld 15
34   Yves Olivier 17
35   Marcel Fässler 18
36   Tommy Field 20
Class B
1   Martin O'Connell Ret Ret 2 4 2 6 15 Ret 5 3 148
2   Damon Wellman 15 17 20 18 78
3   Ian James Ret 19 21
4   Jeremy Gumbley 21 15
Pos Driver DON
 
SIL
 
THR
 
BRH
 
SIL
 
CRO
 
OUL
 
SIL
 
PEM
 
DON
 
SNE
 
SPA
 
SIL
 
THR
 
Pts

References

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AUTOCOURSE 1997-98
British Motorsport Year 1997-98

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