The 2008 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title which was contested concurrently with the 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship. The championship winner was awarded the 2008 CAMS Gold Star. The 2008 championship was the 52nd Australian Drivers' Championship and the fourth to be contested with open wheel racing cars constructed in accordance with FIA Formula 3 regulations. The season began on 3 February 2008 at Eastern Creek Raceway and finished on 21 September at Symmons Plains Raceway after eight rounds across four different states with two races per round.
The series was won by a British driver for the second time in three years, with James Winslow victorious after a season long battle with Leanne Tander, who was runner up by only a few points for the second year in a row. Chris Gilmour won the National Class from Irish driver Lee Farrell, while Andrew Mill clinched the Trophy Class with a round in hand.
Class structure Drivers competed in three classes: Championship Class – restricted to cars constructed in accordance with the FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2007 National Class – restricted to cars constructed in accordance with the FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied between 1 January 1999 and 31 December 2004 Trophy Class – restricted to cars constructed in accordance with the FIA Formula 3 regulations that applied between 1 January 1995 and 31 December 20012008 Australian Formula 3 Championship Sporting Regs Retrieved from webarchive.org on 9 May 2011
Points system Championship points were awarded on a 20–15–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top ten classified finishers in the Championship Class in each race. An additional point was awarded to the driver gaining the Championship Class pole position for each race and a further additional point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest lap in the Championship class in each race. To secure the "fastest lap" point the driver must have been declared finisher for that race.
The same point-score system was also used for both the National Class and the Trophy Class.
Teams and drivers The following teams and drivers competed during the 2008 Australian Formula 3 season. The listing relates to both the 2008 Australian Drivers' Championship and to the non-championship Indy F3 Challenge races. TeamClassChassisEngineNoDriver Scud Racing National Dallara F301 Spiess-Opel 1 Tim Macrow Trophy 25 Justin Tate Roman Krumins Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 35 Stuart Kostera National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 89 Mathew Radisich Team BRM Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 1 James Winslow 3 James Winslow John Magro Chris Alajajian Zahir Ali * 4 Earl Bamber Nick Percat James Winslow 5 Nathan Caratti National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 6 Lee Farrell Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 9 Ben Clucas Transwest Racing Championship Dallara F307 Mugen-Honda 2 Mat Sofi National Dallara F304 Mugen-Honda 20 James Crozier R-Tek Motorsport Services National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 7 Chris Reindler Karl Reindler Carlos Huertas * Trophy Dallara F301 Spiess-Opel 59 Jesse Wakeman Astuti Motorsport Championship Dallara F307 Sodemo-RenaultResults, Round 3 2008, Oran Park Retrieved on 9 May 2011 11 James Winslow Maher Algadrie Chris Alajajian Dallara F304 Sodemo-Renault 23 Ray Chamberlain National 24 Daniel Schulz Ash Samadi Andrew Mill JB Motorsport Trophy Dallara F301 Novamotor-Fiat 12 John Boothman Brian Sampson Property Solutions Group Trophy Dallara F301 Spiess-Opel 16 Andrew Mill Kevin Miller Sodemo-Renault 86 Kevin Miller Gilmour Racing National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 17 Chris Gilmour Morcraft Homes Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 18 Steve Morcombe David Choon Trophy Dallara F396 Mugen Honda 19 David Choon GKH Powdercoating National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 21 Graeme Holmes Chris Alajajian Championship Dallara F304 Sodemo-Renault 22 Chris Alajajian Piccola Scuderia Corse National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 26 Daniel Cotton Troy Woodger John Whelan Justin Tate Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 27 Neil McFadyen Justin Tate John Martin * National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 28 Ash Bettridge Tandersport National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 32 Matthew Radisich Championship Dallara F307 HWA-Mercedes-Benz 42 Leanne Tander National Dallara F304 Spiess-Opel 52 Chris Reindler Samantha Reid Ben Crighton National Surgical Trophy Dallara F301 32 Jon Mills Hack, Anderson & Thomas Trophy Dallara F396 Toyota 37 Rod Anderson Ausdeck Patios & Roofing Trophy Dallara F301 96 Jonathan Grant *
'* - John Martin, Zahir Ali, Carlos Huertas & Jonathan Grant contested the non-championship Indy F3 Challenge races but did not contest rounds of the 2008 Australian Drivers' Championship.
Race calendar Round Race Circuit Date Pole position Fastest lap Winning driver Winning team 1 1 Eastern Creek Raceway 3 February Leanne Tander Neil McFadyen Nathan Caratti Team BRM 2 Nathan Caratti race cancelled by heavy rain 2 1 Adelaide Street Circuit 24 February Neil McFadyen Earl Bamber Neil McFadyen Piccola Scuderia Corse 2 Neil McFadyen Ben Clucas Ben Clucas Team BRM 3 1 Oran Park Raceway 27 April Neil McFadyen Leanne Tander Leanne Tander Tandersport 2 Neil McFadyen Nathan Caratti James Winslow Astuti Motorsport 4 1 Mallala Motor Sport Park 18 May Leanne Tander Nathan Caratti Leanne Tander Tandersport 2 Neil McFadyen Leanne Tander Nathan Caratti Team BRM 5 1 Phillip Island 15 June Leanne Tander Mat Sofi Nathan Caratti Team BRM 2 James Winslow Leanne Tander James Winslow Team BRM 6 1 Eastern Creek Raceway 13 July Nathan Caratti James Winslow Leanne Tander Tandersport 2 Nathan Caratti Nathan Caratti James Winslow Team BRM 7 1 Phillip Island 10 August Leanne Tander James Winslow James Winslow Team BRM 2 James Winslow James Winslow Leanne Tander Tandersport 8 1 Symmons Plains Raceway 21 September Mathew Radisich James Winslow James Winslow Team BRM 2 Tasmanian Super Prix James Winslow Nathan Caratti Leanne Tander Tandersport NC 1 Indy F3 Challenge 23 October John Martin John Martin John Martin Piccola Scuderia Corse 2 24 October progressive grid John Martin John Martin Piccola Scuderia Corse 3 25 October John Martin James Winslow Team BRM
Results and standings
Drivers championship
Pos Driver EAS 1 EAS 2 ADE 1 ADE 2 ORA 1 ORA 2 MAL 1 MAL 2 PHI 1 PHI 2 EAS 3 EAS 4 PHI 3 PHI 4 SYM 1 SYM 2 Pts CHAMPIONSHIP CLASS 1 James Winslow 2 4 3 2 1 10 5 15 1 6 1 1 2 1 Ret 198 2 Leanne Tander 3 6 Ret 1 5 1 2 2 5 1 2 8 1 Ret 1 194 3 Nathan Caratti 1 5 Ret 3 2 2 1 1 2 4 12 Ret 15 10 2 170 4 Mat Sofi 6 7 5 4 6 5 10 4 3 3 7 3 3 4 4 136 5 Neil McFadyen 5 1 2 5 3 6 3 DSQ 4 99 6 Stuart Kostera 7 8 4 Ret 11 Ret 7 3 10 9 5 Ret 4 2 5 92 7 Ray Chamberlain 19 17 12 12 13 14 16 11 13 16 16 10 10 7 11 64 8 Nick Percat 6 4 4 4 38 9 Justin Tate 5 6 2 6 37 10 Ben Clucas 2 1 36 10 John Magro 11 9 14 8 4 5 36 12 Chris Alajajian 2 3 27 13 Earl Bamber 4 3 Ret 23 14 Steve Morcombe 10 13 12 11 13 15 Maher Algadrie 13 12 5 NATIONAL CLASS 1 Chris Gilmour 9 11 6 7 7 7 12 7 5 14 8 6 8 9 8 228 2 Lee Farrell 8 9 17 Ret Ret 9 8 6 7 11 11 5 7 Ret 6 189 3 Tim Macrow Ret Ret 7 4 3 3 89 4 Ben Crighton 9 9 Ret Ret 8 14 7 Ret 8 7 86 5 Mathew Radisich 11 12 8 DNS DNS 8 9 17 9 Ret Ret Ret 10 85 6 Ash Bettridge 10 12 13 15 Ret 12 48 7 Karl Reindler 3 6 43 8 Daniel Schulz 12 10 7 39 9 Justin Tate 8 11 Ret DNS 24 10 Ash Samadhi Ret 8 Ret 13 Ret DNS 23 11 Chris Reindler 10 21 Ret 17 12 Samantha Reid 20 10 16 13 James Crozier 13 23 14 16 14 Andrew Mill 6 Ret 15 15 John Whelan 10 Ret 12 16 Graeme Holmes 15 15 Ret DNS DNS 12 17 Daniel Cotton 17 3 18 Troy Woodger 22 Ret 3 TROPHY CLASS 1 Andrew Mill 14 13 11 8 10 12 15 Ret 14 12 10 9 9 247 2 Jesse Wakeman 16 16 16 DNS DNS 13 14 9 11 9 11 157 3 Rod Anderson 20 18 13 11 12 15 DNS 13 16 15 17 11 12 156 4 Justin Tate 21 14 9 Ret DNS 46 5 John Boothman 18 19 15 30 5 Roman Krumins 11 13 30 7 Brian Sampson 12 15 28 8 David Choon 13 Ret 12 NC Kevin Miller DNS 0
Note: Race 2 of Round 1 was abandoned due to torrential rain and no points were awarded.Opes Prime Team BRM Dominates F3 season opener Retrieved on 9 May 2011
Indy F3 Challenge The Indy F3 Challenge was a three race support event for Australian Formula 3 cars at the 2008 Nikon Indy 300 meeting at the Surfers Paradise Street Circuit. It was not a round of the 2008 Australian Drivers' Championship.
Pos. Driver Qualifying Race 1 Race 2 Race 3 Points 1 John Martin 1 1 1 2 59 2 James Winslow 2 2 2 1 50 3 Leanne Tander 5 4 3 Ret 22 4 Chris Alajajian 3 3 4 Ret 22 5 Mat Sofi 6 Ret 7 3 16 6 Chris Gilmour 8 8 8 4 16 7 Nathan Caratti 4 5 5 Ret 16 8 Jesse Wakeman 11 10 10 5 10 9 Zahir Ali 9 7 6 Ret 10 10 Steve Morcombe 13 11 11 6 6 11 Carlos Huertas 7 6 Ret Ret 6 12 Jonathan Grant 12 Ret 12 7 4 13 Ben Crighton 10 9 9 Ret 4 14 Jon Mills 15 Ret Ret 8 3 15 Kevin Miller 14 Ret 13 Ret 0
See also Australian Drivers' Championship Australian Formula 3
References
External links Official Australian Formula 3 website Results - 2008 Kumho Tyres Australian Formula 3 Championship for the CAMS Gold Star at replay.web.archive.org 2008 Race result archive at www.natsoft.com.au Image of James Winslow (Team BRM Dallara F307) contesting the Symmons Plains round of the championship