The 1989 International Formula 3000 Championship was contested over 10 rounds. Jean Alesi won the title, while also competing in the last half of the Formula One season for Tyrrell.

Season summary

The season began with Thomas Danielsson winning at Silverstone, after returning from the eye problems that had caused him to miss most of the previous year.

Martin Donnelly then won on the road at Vallelunga, but was disqualified. His Eddie Jordan Racing team had modified the Reynard's nosecone, but it had not been subjected to the mandatory crash test.Who? – Martin Donnelly. 8w, retrieved 7 July 2011.

At the Pau Grand Prix, Éric Bernard led the two EJR cars of Jean Alesi and Donnelly after an aborted first start. However, Bernard was caught behind an accident involving Paul Belmondo and stalled his car, allowing Alesi to go through and take the victory. Bernard stormed back through the field, but collided with Mark Blundell while battling for second place. Bernard would win the next race at Jerez. Andrea Chiesa then won a close race on the dusty Enna circuit.

Meanwhile, three F3000 regulars—Alesi, Bernard and Donnelly—all made their Formula One debuts at the French Grand Prix in July. Alesi was particularly impressive for Tyrrell, finishing fourth, and he would continue to drive for them when the F3000 schedule allowed.

The EJR team won the next three races, allowing Alesi to take a commanding lead in the championship. His closest rival Érik Comas won at Le Mans but Alesi's single point, along with the tiebreaker of most wins, meant that he clinched the title. Alesi then skipped the last round in at Dijon-Prenois to race in the Japanese Grand Prix, allowing Comas to tie his point total with the win.

Drivers and teams

Team Chassis Engine Drivers Rounds Bromley Motorsport Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 1 Marco Greco 6 2 Gary Brabham 1–2, 4 Cor Euser 8 David Velay 10 Eddie Jordan Racing Reynard 89D Mugen Honda 3 Martin Donnelly All 4 Jean Alesi 1–9 Rickard Rydell 10 First Racing Reynard 89D Judd 5 Jean-Denis Délétraz All 6 Marco Apicella All March 89B 7 Fabrizio Giovanardi All GA Motorsport March 89B Judd 8 Philippe Favre 1–8 Marco Greco 9–10 9 Jacques Goudchaux 1–9 Andrew Gilbert-Scott 10 Lola T89/50 Ford Cosworth 21 Eric van de Poele All 22 Stéphane Proulx All Lola Motorsport March 88B1989 International Trophy | Motor Sport Magazine Database, retrieved 6 November 2020 Judd 10 Enrico Bertaggia 1 11 Mauro Martini 1 Racetech 3000 Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 12 Didier Artzet 1–3 Madgwick International Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 16 Thomas Danielsson All 17 Gary Evans All CoBRa Motorsports Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 18 Ross Hockenhull 1, 4, 6–7 Alain Ferté 2–3 19 Pedro Chaves All 20 Michel Ferté 5 Alain Ferté 8–10 Footwork Mooncraft MC041 Mugen Honda 23 Ukyo Katayama 1–4 Damon Hill 5–10 Pacific Racing Reynard 89D Mugen Honda 24 Eddie Irvine All 25 JJ Lehto 1–9 Allan McNish 10 DAMS Lola T89/50 Mugen Honda 26 Érik Comas All 33 Eric Bernard All Middlebridge Racing Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 27 Mark Blundell All 28 Phil Andrews All CDM Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 29 Paul Belmondo All 30 Éric Chéli All Roni Motorsport Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 31 Andrea Chiesa All 32 Emanuele Naspetti All Automotive BVM Reynard 89D Judd 38 Massimo Monti 1–3 Franco Scapini 4–9 Alessandro Zanardi 10 Cowman Racing Reynard 89D Judd 39 Enrico Bertaggia 2–4 Domenico Gitto 5–6 Perry McCarthy 7–9 Apomatox Reynard 89D Ford Cosworth 40 Dominique Delestre 1–3 41 Phillipe Gache 3–10 Forti Corse Lola T89/50 Ford Cosworth 42 Claudio Langes All Leyton House Racing March 89B Judd 43 Mauro Martini 3–5 Ford Cosworth Gary Brabham 6–10Sources:

Calendar

Round Circuit Date Laps Distance Time Speed Pole position Fastest lap Winner 1 Silverstone Circuit 9 April 41 4.778=196.308 km 0'55:31.92 211.73 km/h Philippe Favre Philippe Favre1 Thomas Danielsson 2 ACI Vallelunga Circuit 30 April 64 3.2=204.80 km 1'13:08.797 167.991 km/h Martin Donnelly Marco Apicella Fabrizio Giovanardi2 3 Pau Grand Prix 15 May 72 2.76=198.72 km 1'28:51.90 134.173 km/h Marco Apicella Éric Bernard Marco Apicella Jean Alesi 4 Circuito de Jerez 4 June 48 4.218=202.464 km 1'18:28.48 154.80 km/h Éric Bernard Éric Bernard Éric Bernard 5 Autodromo di Pergusa 23 July 39 4.95=193.050 km 0'58:54.5 196.626 km/h Jean Alesi Martin Donnelly Andrea Chiesa 6 Brands Hatch 20 August 48 4.19=201.12 km 1'02:03.76 194.15 km/h Érik Comas Éric Bernard Martin Donnelly 7 Birmingham 28 August 51 3.975=202.725 km 1'11:48.98 169.36 km/h Jean Alesi Jean Alesi Jean Alesi 8 Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 16 September 28 6.94=194.30 km 1'02:40.93 186.005 km/h Érik Comas Érik Comas Jean Alesi 9 Le Mans Bugatti Circuit 24 September 46 4.267=196.0 km 1'12:31.43 168.59 km/h Éric Bernard Érik Comas Érik Comas 10 Dijon-Prenois 22 October 54 3.8=205.2 km 1'05:07.20 189.066 km/h Éric Bernard Érik Comas Érik ComasSource:

Notes

1 JJ Lehto set the fastest race lap, but was disqualified after the race for having an illegal rev-limiter.F3000 1985-89 , retrieved 7 July 2011 2 Martin Donnelly won on the road, but was disqualified for using a nosecone that had not been subjected to the mandatory crash test.

Final points standings

Driver

For every race points were awarded: 9 points to the winner, 6 for runner-up, 4 for third place, 3 for fourth place, 2 for fifth place and 1 for sixth place.

Jean Alesi won the championship by virtue of having three wins to Érik Comas' two. He skipped the last race of the season with the championship already won.

Driver SIL VLL PAU JER PER BRH BIR SPA BUG DIJ Points 1 Jean Alesi 4 Ret 1 5 Ret 2 1 1 6 39 2 Érik Comas 5 4 DNQ 2 Ret 3 Ret 2 1 1 39 3 Éric Bernard Ret Ret Ret 1 Ret 4 4 Ret 3 2 25 4 Marco Apicella 8 Ret 2 3 4 Ret 2 3 Ret Ret 23 5 Eric van de Poele 6 3 Ret 4 Ret Ret 14 4 2 5 19 6 Andrea Chiesa 11 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret 13 17 Ret Ret 15 7 Thomas Danielsson 1 Ret 3 12 Ret Ret Ret 6 13 11 14 8 Martin Donnelly Ret DSQ Ret Ret Ret 1 3 Ret 7 17 13 9 Eddie Irvine DNS Ret Ret Ret 3 Ret 6 9 4 4 11 10 Fabrizio Giovanardi DNQ 1 Ret 14 Ret DNQ DNS 13 DNQ 12 9 11 Mark Blundell 3 Ret 6 DNQ Ret Ret 5 DNS Ret 6 8 12 Claudio Langes 12 Ret Ret 7 2 6 9 15 9 7 7 13 Philippe Favre 2 Ret 7 Ret Ret 7 Ret 12 6 14 J.J. Lehto DSQ Ret 4 6 Ret Ret Ret 5 Ret 6 15 Andrew Gilbert-Scott 3 4 16 Alain Ferté 6 5 Ret Ret 13 3 17 Stéphane Proulx Ret 9 Ret 10 Ret Ret Ret 8 5 Ret 2 18 Gary Brabham Ret 8 13 5 DNQ 11 Ret Ret 2 19 Emanuele Naspetti 16 5 DNQ Ret Ret 9 Ret Ret 10 10 2 20 Gary Evans Ret 11 Ret 17 5 Ret Ret 16 DNQ DNQ 2 21 Phil Andrews 7 Ret DNQ 11 Ret 10 7 Ret 12 Ret 0 22 Perry McCarthy DNQ 7 15 0 23 Didier Artzet Ret 7 Ret 0 24 Philippe Gache Ret 8 DNQ Ret 8 Ret 8 Ret 0 25 Ross Hockenhull Ret 8 11 0 26 Allan McNish 8 0 27 Jacques Goudchaux 10 10 DNQ 9 DNQ DNQ Ret DNQ 14 0 28 Jean-Denis Délétraz 14 Ret Ret 15 Ret Ret 12 DNQ Ret 9 0 29 Mauro Martini 9 DNQ 16 Ret 0 30 Paul Belmondo 13 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 Ret 10 Ret 18 0 31 Franco Scapini DNQ Ret DNQ 10 DNQ DNQ 0 32 Éric Chéli DNS 12 Ret DNQ Ret DNQ DNS Ret 11 DNQ 0 33 Pedro Chaves 15 DNQ DNQ Ret Ret 11 Ret DNQ 17 DNQ 0 34 Damon Hill Ret Ret DNS 14 16 15 0 35 David Velay 14 0 36 Alessandro Zanardi 16 0 37 Ukyo Katayama DNQ Ret DNQ 18 0 38 Enrico Bertaggia DNQ DNQ DNQ 19 0 Marco Greco Ret Ret Ret Massimo Monti DNQ DNQ Ret Domenico Gitto DNQ Ret Michel Ferté Ret Cor Euser Ret Rickard Rydell Ret Dominique Delestre DNQ DNQ DNQ Sources:

Complete overview

first column of every race 10 = grid position second column of every race 10 = race result

R = retired, NS = did not start, NQ = did not qualify, DIS = disqualified (placing before disqualification displayed alongside in parentheses)