The Masters of Formula 3 was a Formula Three race held annually, usually at the Circuit Park Zandvoort in the Netherlands. Due to noise restrictions in the Zandvoort area, the 2007 and 2008 races were held in the Belgian circuit of Zolder. However, it returned to Zandvoort for the 2009 race.
The Masters was first started in 1991, as an international meeting between drivers from various national championships across Europe. As the FIA European Formula Three Cup had been cancelled after the 1990 season, the Masters became the unofficial European F3 championship. Many of Formula One's future stars raced and won in the Masters, including David Coulthard, who was crowned champion in the first event.
In 1999, the FIA nominated the Pau round of French Formula Three Championship as the new European Cup, but the Masters retained its status as the de facto international meeting between up-and-coming superstars all across Europe, as drivers from the British, French, German and Italian championships continued to flock to the Dutch track. When the French and German series were merged into the Formula 3 Euro Series in 2003, the Masters was not included in the calendar at the time, but its position as the premier international F3 meeting in Europe was not threatened.
The event was sponsored by Marlboro from 1991 to 2005. When tobacco advertising was banned in the European Union after 31 July 2005, the Masters lost its sponsorship. The race was sponsored by BP Ultimate took from 2006 to 2007, RTL in 2008, Tango in 2009 and RTL again in 2010.
For the first time since its creation the series took a one-year break in 2017 due to calendar changes on the circuit and FIA Formula 3 European Championship regulations which prohibits any racing activity prior the round on the same circuit. But the race did not return in 2018, which made the 2016 race the final race of the event.
Results +List of Masters of Formula 3 winnersYearWinnerEntrantChassis – EngineRace TrackCircuit Map 1991 David Coulthard Paul Stewart Racing Ralt RT35-Mugen-Honda British Formula 3 Championship Circuit Zandvoort 1992 Pedro Lamy Opel Team WTS Reynard 923-Opel German Formula Three Championship 1993 Jos Verstappen Opel Team WTS Dallara F393-Opel German Formula Three Championship 1994 Gareth Rees Alan Docking Racing Dallara F394-Mugen-Honda British Formula 3 Championship 1995 Norberto Fontana KMS Dallara F395-Opel German Formula Three Championship 1996 Kurt Mollekens Alan Docking Racing Dallara F396-Mugen-Honda British Formula 3 Championship 1997 Tom Coronel Alan Docking Racing Dallara F397-Toyota All-Japan Formula Three Championship 1998 David Saelens ASM Fina Dallara F396-Renault French Formula Three Championship 1999 Marc Hynes Manor Motorsport Dallara F399-Mugen-Honda British Formula 3 Championship 2000 Jonathan Cochet Signature Competition Dallara F399-Renault French Formula Three Championship 2001 Takuma Sato Carlin Motorsport Dallara F301-Mugen-Honda British Formula 3 Championship 2002 Fabio Carbone Fortec Motorsport Dallara F302-Renault British Formula 3 Championship 2003 Christian Klien ADAC Berlin Brandenburg Dallara F302-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2004 Alexandre Prémat ASM Formule 3 Dallara F304-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2005 Lewis Hamilton ASM Formule 3 Dallara F305-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2006 Paul di Resta ASM Formule 3 Dallara F305-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2007 Nico Hülkenberg ASM Formule 3 Dallara F305-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series Circuit Zolder 2008 Jules Bianchi ART Grand Prix Dallara F308-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2009 Valtteri Bottas ART Grand Prix Dallara F308-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series Circuit Zandvoort 2010 Valtteri Bottas ART Grand Prix Dallara F308-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2011 Felix Rosenqvist Mücke Motorsport Dallara F308-Mercedes Formula 3 Euro Series 2012 Daniel Juncadella Prema Powerteam Dallara F312-Mercedes FIA Formula 3 European Championship 2013 Felix Rosenqvist KFZ‐Teile24 Mücke Motorsport Dallara F312-Mercedes FIA Formula 3 European Championship 2014 Max Verstappen Motopark Dallara F311-Volkswagen FIA Formula 3 European Championship 2015 Antonio Giovinazzi Jagonya Ayam with Carlin Dallara F315-Volkswagen FIA Formula 3 European Championship 2016 Joel Eriksson Motopark Dallara F316-Volkswagen FIA Formula 3 European Championship
References
External links Circuit Zandvoort