The GP3 Series, or GP3 for short, was a single-seater motor racing series launched in 2010 as a feeder series for the GP2 Series, introduced by GP2 organiser Bruno Michel. GP3 followed the entire European leg of the Formula One series and the GP2 (now Formula 2) series as a support race for the two. Like the GP2 series, GP3 gave drivers the experience of the Grand Prix environment, and took advantage of the infrastructure, such as marshals and medical facilities, in place for the Formula One events. GP3 Series mainly raced on European circuits, but had appearances on other international race tracks, with rounds in the 2015 season at the Bahrain International Circuit in Bahrain and the Yas Marina Circuit in United Arab Emirates.
Many drivers had since stepped up to GP2 since the series began, with the 2010 champion Esteban Gutiérrez, Pål Varhaug and ninth-place finisher Stefano Coletti being the first to do so for the 2011 season. 2011 champion Valtteri Bottas did not follow suit, however, and instead joined Williams as a reserve driver. Meanwhile, James Calado, Rio Haryanto, Simon Trummer, Tom Dillmann and Nigel Melker all joined GP2 for the 2012 season. Other drivers who have graduated to other series are James Jakes who moved to the IndyCar Series for 2011, Josef Newgarden to the Indy Lights series in 2011 and Alexander Rossi and Robert Wickens who moved to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2011 and Lewis Williamson in 2012.
In the series' short history, fourteen drivers have gone on to compete in Formula One. These include former champions Esteban Gutiérrez, Daniil Kvyat, Valtteri Bottas, Esteban Ocon, Jean-Éric Vergne, Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc, and George Russell.
In 2019, the series merged with the FIA Formula 3 European Championship and became the FIA Formula 3 Championship.
GP3 Series cars The GP3 Series car was a standardised car used by all of the competing teams.
Dallara GP3/10
For the 2010–2012 seasons, the GP3 series used the GP3/10 chassis.
Chassis The car had been designed and built by Dallara, who currently produces the F2 chassis.
Engine The GP3/10 used a race-tuned four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged 280 hp engine developed by Renault Sport (based on B20F engine), while turbochargers were supplied by Pankl Racing Systems. The wastegate was included due to turbocharger rules.
Gearbox The GP3/10 used a 6 speed longitudinal sequential Hewland gearbox.
Tyres Pirelli supplied the tyres for GP3 from 2010 to 2012, same supplier for the GP2 Series.
Specifications Engine displacement: DOHC inline-4 Gearbox: 6-speed paddle shift gearbox (must have reverse) Weight: Power output: Fuel: Elf LMS 102 RON unleaded Fuel capacity: Fuel delivery: Direct fuel injection Aspiration: Single-turbocharged Turbo boost pressure: Length: Width: Wheelbase: Steering: Non-assisted rack and pinion Tyres: Pirelli P Zero slick dry and treaded wet
Dallara GP3/13
For the 2013–2015 seasons, the GP3 series used the GP3/13 chassis.
Chassis The car was also designed and built by Dallara.
Engine The GP3/13 used a naturally aspirated 3.4-litre V6 400 hp engine, developed by AER Ltd. with designation P57.
Gearbox The GP3/13 used a 6 speed longitudinal sequential gearbox developed by Hewland.
Tyres Pirelli continued to supply the tyres for GP3 from 2013 onwards.
Specifications Engine displacement: DOHC V6 Gearbox: 6-speed paddle shift gearbox (must have reverse) Weight: Power output: Fuel: Elf LMS 102 RON unleaded Fuel capacity: Fuel delivery: Fuel injection Aspiration: Naturally-aspirated Length: Width: Wheelbase: Steering: Non-assisted rack and pinion Tyres: Pirelli P Zero slick dry and Pirelli Cinturato treaded wet
Dallara GP3/16
The series used another new chassis for the 2016 season, and continued to be used until 2018.
Chassis The car has also been designed and built by Dallara.
Engine The GP3/16 used a naturally aspirated 3.4-litre V6 400 hp engine, developed by Mecachrome with model V634, prepared and maintained by Teos Engineering.
Gearbox The GP3/16 used a 6 speed longitudinal sequential gearbox developed by Hewland.
Tyres Pirelli continued to supply the tyres for GP3 from 2016 to the 2018 season.
Specifications Engine displacement: DOHC V6 Gearbox: 6-speed paddle shift gearbox (must have reverse) Weight: Power output: Fuel: Elf LMS 102 RON unleaded Fuel capacity: Fuel delivery: Direct fuel injection Aspiration: naturally aspirated Length: in 2016 later in 2017-2018 Width: Wheelbase: Steering: Non-assisted rack and pinion Tyres: Pirelli P Zero slick dry and Pirelli Cinturato treaded wet
Race weekend A race weekend features one 45-minute practice session on Friday, and one 30-minute qualifying session on Saturday, followed by two races. The qualifying session is a straight fight for the fastest laptime, and determines the order of the grid for Saturday's Race 1.
Race 2 is on Sunday. The grid is decided by the Saturday result with top 8 being reversed, so the driver who finished 8th on Saturday will start from pole position and the polesitter will start from 8th place.
The distance of each race is decided prior to the event, however, should 30 minutes elapse before the designated number of laps are completed the lead driver will be shown the chequered flag.
Points system
2010–2011 Points system for feature race 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 10 8 6 5 4 3 2 1
Points system for sprint race 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 6 5 4 3 2 1
Pole for Saturday races: 2 points Fastest lap: 1 point in each race Driver recording fastest lap has to drive 90% of race laps and must finish in the top ten of the race to be eligible for the fastest lap point. With this points system, the most points anyone can score in one round is 20 by claiming pole position, winning both races with the fastest lap in each race.
No driver ever did manage to get maximum points with this system. The closest drivers who have done so are Esteban Gutiérrez at the 2010 British round, who managed pole position for the feature race, won the feature race and got the fastest lap, and then came third in the sprint race, which equals a total of 17 points. Valtteri Bottas at the 2011 Hungarian round achieved pole position and won the feature race, and then came second in the sprint race, also totaling 17 points.
2012 onwards Points system For Race 1 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th PL FL 25 18 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1 4 2
Points system For Race 2 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th FL 15 12 10 8 6 4 2 1 2
Pole for Saturday races: 4 points Fastest lap: 2 points in each race Driver recording fastest lap has to drive 90% of race laps and must finish in the top ten of the race to be eligible for the fastest lap point. With this points system, the most points anyone can score in one round is 48 by claiming pole position, winning both races with the fastest lap in each race.
So far throughout the new points system, no driver has achieved the maximum number of points in a single round. In the Hungarian round of 2012, António Félix da Costa became first driver to win both races of the weekend.
Teams and drivers GP3 Series has ten European teams and thirty drivers representing the Series. Manor Racing, Atech CRS GP and Carlin represent Great Britain, whilst flying the French flag is GP2 Series 2009 Champions ART Grand Prix and Tech 1 Racing. MW Arden in association with ex-Formula One driver Mark Webber race under an Australian license. Spaniard Addax Team, German RSC Mücke Motorsport in association with Ralf Schumacher, Irish-Canadian Status Grand Prix, and Swiss team Jenzer Motorsport complete the lineup.
Champions Drivers' SeasonDriverTeamPolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPoints% points achievableClinchedMarginRef 2010 Esteban Gutiérrez ART Grand Prix35978855.000Race 15 of 1617 2011 Valtteri Bottas Lotus ART14736238.750Race 15 of 167 2012 Mitch Evans MW Arden4363151.540.891Race 16 of 162 2013 Daniil Kvyat MW Arden235416843.750Race 15 of 1630 2014 Alex Lynn Carlin238320747.917Race 17 of 1844 2015 Esteban Ocon ART Grand Prix3114525358.565Race 18 of 188 2016 Charles Leclerc ART Grand Prix438420246.759Race 17 of 1825 2017 George Russell ART Grand Prix447522059.946Race 13 of 1679 2018 Anthoine Hubert ART Grand Prix2211421449.537Race 17 of 1816
Teams' SeasonTeamPolesWinsPodiumsFastest lapsPointsClinchedMarginRef 2010 ART Grand Prix37148130Race 14 of 1644 2011 Lotus ART26144124Race 14 of 1655 2012 Lotus GP34160378.5Race 15 of 1669 2013 ART Grand Prix24144378Race 15 of 16100 2014 Carlin24134347Race 18 of 1817 2015 ART Grand Prix46611477Race 15 of 18195 2016 ART Grand Prix89238588Race 13 of 18291 2017 ART Grand Prix872311578Race 11 of 16292 2018 ART Grand Prix492911640Race 15 of 18207
Drivers graduated to GP2 DriverGP3GP2Other major titles after GP3 SeriesSeasonsRacesWinsPodiumsSeasonsFirst teamRacesWinsPodiums 201216272013–2014ART Grand Prix4200 20116002015Venezuela GP Lazarus200 2014–2015324122016Arden200 201116162012–2013Lotus ART46414World Endurance GT Drivers' Championship †201216012011, 2013Trident Racing1901 †‡201014022009, 2011–2014Durango88715 2011–2013482112013–2014Hilmer Motorsport2000 201114012012–2014iSport International4314Formula V8 3.5 Series 2012–201332342014MP Motorsport800 2011–201232482013–2014Arden44210 2014–201522592016Trident Racing2212 2010–201128002013Venezuela GP Lazarus1000Auto GP ‡201016592011–2012Lotus ART4449 2010–201132372012–2015DAMS9037 ‡201012032009–2011Super Nova Racing200 2014–2015346152016Carlin Motorsport2002 201418382015–2016DAMS4048 2014–201532142015Carlin200 2010–201132152012DAMS2300 2012–201450582015Venezuela GP Lazarus1000ADAC GT Masters 2010–201131132013–2014MP Motorsport4014Auto GP World Series 2012–201320122014Hilmer Motorsport800 ‡201016252013–2015Caterham Racing52411 2011, 201422362015Status Grand Prix1822 2011–201236122015Status Grand Prix2100 2013–201420572015Carlin600 2010–201130002012–2014Arden6801 2012–201440232015Rapax1800 ‡201016112011, 2013DAMS2200 2011, 2013-201450192015Hilmer Motorsport1200 Notes: Drivers are listed by their last year in GP3 Series. Usually they started in GP2 at the start of the following season. Gold background denotes GP3 champion. † Coletti had three GP2 starts in 2009 for Durango; his first GP2 team since driving in GP3 2010 was Trident Racing. Ceccon also had 8 starts in GP2 with Scuderia Coloni; he joined Trident Racing for 2013 after a year of GP3 in 2012. ‡ Denotes drivers who raced in the GP2 Asia Series. Gutiérrez, Calado, Dillmann, Coletti, Haryanto, Melker, Trummer and Ceccon all participated in the 2 race 2011 GP2 Final. Jakes raced in the 2008–2009, 2009–2010 and 2011 Asia Series along with two races in the 2010 Main GP2 series. Also, António Félix da Costa and Alexander Rossi raced in the final (non-championship) round of the 2011 GP2 Series season at Yas Marina.
Drivers graduated to FIA Formula 2