Pro F3 Series for USA

[Monty M]

SCCA Pro will be launching a "pro" F3 series in the near future.

Blake Mount, a current F4 driver, just mentioned it in his AMA on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/F1FeederSer...02&sh=bde76de1

Mount said:

Although America will be getting it's own 'F3' series, I do not know if I trust the series sanctioning body to pull it off at the level I would need. The British F3 is known to be a competitive series with competitive drivers, as it has been for years.

Is there room for another open wheel series?

Supposedly the new Crawford car has been doing laps all year and is ready to go. My guess would be its HPD powered and on Pirelli tires (because why not).

[andyllc]

Is this basically a rebadging of their 'Lites' class car from a couple years ago?

[problemchild]

This should be no surprise to anyone. The SCCA BOD has been committed to this plan for atleast 2 years which in this case was two SCCA Presidents, and 4 SCCA Pro Racing presidents. Noble and Clark created the plan and the BOD has pursued it through all the other BS going on in the club.

I do not know how they established their mandate, but anybody not happy with the plan should talk to their BOD members.

[Lotus7]

Is this basically a rebadging of their 'Lites' class car from a couple years ago?

Car-wise, I don't believe the 'Lites' tub was ever FIA certified, (wouldn't have needed to be), others may know for sure.
Series-wise, the market soundly rejected the $120k car in a stand-alone series, then subsequently embraced a $60k car in an FIA ladder series.
Four years on from Lites, will the FIA connection sell a $1xx,000 F3 car this time ... ?

[Earley Motorsports]

I heard from a pretty reliable source that the F3 car will be based on the current F4 car with basically the same Honda motor but with a turbo adding 100hp, more downforce, a little stiffer in the rear, and slightly better brakes. Should be a good ride.

[MotorCade]

I think the SCCA should just keep creating new formula series until everyone has their own, and we all get trophies. Isn't that what everyone wants? /sarc

[Swift17]

I heard from a pretty reliable source that the F3 car will be based on the current F4 car with basically the same Honda motor but with a turbo adding 100hp, more downforce, a little stiffer in the rear, and slightly better brakes. Should be a good ride.

Correct - the current motor for F4 is delivered to the tuner from HPD with the factory installed turbo before being removed, bagged, and the motor re-tuned for the class - the F3 chassis is indeed the F4 tub with different (read:stronger) pick-up points/suspension arms to deal with the increased forces in all axis due to larger wheels, tires, wings and the attendant, bigger brakes - The F.I.A. plan, as I seem to recall, was originally launched by Gerhard Berger and after surveys, meetings with sponsors, tracks, etc, and was published about four years ago in the official F.I.A. magazine, (using for funding, in part, some of the $100M fine paid by McLaren due to FerrariGate). It called for return to the "original" British/European stepping stone plan which then called for F4, F3, F2 and F1., with the re-branding of the then current GP3 and GP2 back to F3 and F2, which as since been completed*. The F3 USA Championship will allow successful drivers to gain "SuperLicense" points to allow easier matriculation to F2 and then, (as the dream continues), F1. The Honda plan for the USA appears to be consistent with the F.I.A. vision -

*Note I can't be sure if in the initial article or a follow up, but FF was discussed as a alternate/initial start class by the F.I.A. but also it recognized/acknowledged FF as a valid amateur and often a stand alone driver/team destination -

[ptclaus98]

I heard from a pretty reliable source that the F3 car will be based on the current F4 car with basically the same Honda motor but with a turbo adding 100hp, more downforce, a little stiffer in the rear, and slightly better brakes. Should be a good ride.

It may be nice, but that isn't a Formula 3 car.

[Phil Picard]

No, The F3 tub is not a modified F4 tub, It was designed straight up as a F3. Yes, it is the Honda with turbo refitted.
The Lites car was never a FIA approved chassis.
Phil

[Lotus7]

per Racer.com today:

"The Formula 1 Group has been confirmed bv the FIA as the promoter of the new FIA Formula 3 Championship, which will be introduced in 2019. The new championship is expected to replace GP3 as third tier on the main ladder to Formula 1, and will join Formula 2 as part of Formula 1's support package ... At the centerpiece of the series will be a brand-new car integrating the latest FIA safety technologies... "

Curious if the USF3 coming out this summer is to this new specification ?

[Steve Bamford]

per Racer.com today:

"The Formula 1 Group has been confirmed bv the FIA as the promoter of the new FIA Formula 3 Championship, which will be introduced in 2019. The new championship is expected to replace GP3 as third tier on the main ladder to Formula 1, and will join Formula 2 as part of Formula 1's support package ... At the centerpiece of the series will be a brand-new car integrating the latest FIA safety technologies... "

Curious if the USF3 coming out this summer is to this new specification ?

As far as I know the car being developed does meet the 2019 regulations. If I recall the 2019 specifications came out mid to late last year which caused some changes to the design but was being implemented to the 2018 car.

[stonebridge20]

Side pods were too wide?

[problemchild]

Side pods were too wide?

Glad you find it so amusing.
That SCCA is choosing to promote, manage, and finance F4 and F3, while abandoning our traditional formula classes is a travesty. That we allow the person responsible for managing F4 and F3 to serve on the Formula/Sports Racing Committee, and who provided the manufactured windtunnel info that banned a dozen cars, is a massive conflict of interest, even by SCCA standards.

BTW. My previous use of the term "FIA safety pod" was incorrect.
The proper term is Lateral Protection Structure.
15.7 Lateral Protection Structure:15.7.1) Continuous panels whose projection on a verticalplane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the car shall be atleast 150mm high, shall extend on either side of the car, at aminimum distance of 550mm from the car’s longitudinal centre line between at least the transverse planes passingthrough the fuel tank rear face and the frontal extremity of theminimum cockpit opening, and at a minimum distance of350mm from the car’s longitudinal centre line between at leastthe transversal planes passing through the above extremityand the front rollover bar hoop. These panels shall be madefrom a composite material of 3000mm2 minimum crosssection with a honeycomb core in metal or Nomex givingadequate resistance to compression. The external skins shallbe of aluminium alloy, plastic, or carbon fibre of a minimumthickness of 0.5mm or made up of another assembly ofmaterials of equivalent efficiency. The panels must besecurely attached to the flat bottom and their upper extremityto the main structure of the car in such a manner as to ensureabsorption of a lateral impact. The radiators may play the roleof protective panels or of transversal struts. The periphery ofthe bodywork covering the Lateral Protection Structure, whenviewed from below, must be curved upwards with a minimumradius of 50mm, and a maximum radius of 70mm with theexception of air entry

[Phil Picard]

Steve is correct.
Specs and component changes by the FIA abound, some as a result of Billy Mungers terrible accident.
When The FIA makes a change obviously it takes time for engineering to design it AND FIA to approve it.
Max Crawford spends a great deal time dealing with the FIA, who seem slow, as well as what vendors are involved to produce his cars. His association with Onroak/ Ligier gives him engineering width which helps.

US F3 cars are scheduled for team delivery in April. First race in August.

Greg as well, seems we are posting at the same time

[Lotus7]

http://www.onroak.com/en/news/the-li...hit-the-track/

$99k + engine

a fair bit more than a turnkey USF2000; be interesting to see how many appear in August;
fixed spares pricing might make long term ownership less expensive though?

[Thomas Copeland]

Oh Christ, it's got one of those trash cans sitting on top of the cockpit. What's next for the FIA? Mandatory diaper changes for all drivers during pit stops?

[reidhazelton]

Side pods were too wide?

You were the kid who threw rocks at the hornets' nests, weren't you?

[stonebridge20]

You were the kid who threw rocks at the hornets' nests, weren't you?

I still do.

[BorkRacing]

You were the kid who threw rocks at the hornets' nests, weren't you?

That would be ultrasonically honed and cryo treated rocks!

[stonebridge20]

That would be ultrasonically honed and cryo treated rocks!

Before and after.