1996 British Formula Three Championship

Last updated

The 1996 British Formula Three season was the 46th British Formula Three Championship. The season started on 31 March at Silverstone and ended there on 13 October following sixteen races. After losing out in the final reckoning to Oliver Gavin in 1995, Ralph Firman was able to clinch the crown on his second attempt from Kurt Mollekens and teammate Jonny Kane. New Zealander Simon Wills took the Class B title.

Contents

Drivers and Teams

TeamNoDriverChassisEngineRounds
Class A
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing 1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Dallara F396 Mugen-Honda All
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Dallara F396Mugen-HondaAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fortec Motorsport 3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Dallara F396 HKS-Mitsubishi All
4 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Dallara F396HKS-MitsubishiAll
Flag of France.svg Promatecme 5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Matthews Dallara F396 Renault All
6 Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Dallara F396RenaultAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Docking Racing 7 Flag of the United States.svg Brian CunninghamDallara F396Mugen-HondaAll
8 Flag of Uruguay.svg Gonzalo Rodríguez Dallara F396Mugen-Honda1-4
Flag of India.svg Akbar Ebrahim 8
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Steven Arnold9
11 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kurt Mollekens Dallara F396Mugen-HondaAll
12 Flag of Finland.svg Risto VirtanenDallara F396Mugen-Honda1-4
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg TWR Junior Team 9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Davies Dallara F396 TWR GM All
10 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mark ShawDallara F396TWR GMAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Intersport14 Flag of Spain.svg Ángel Burgueño Dallara F396 Opel All
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg SpeedSport F315 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Darren Manning Dallara F396Mugen-HondaAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg TOM'S GB 16 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Christian Horner TOM'S 036TOM'S-Toyota 1-6
Flag of Japan.svg Naoki KuroseDallara F39616
17 Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Smith TOM'S 036TOM'S-Toyota All
18 Flag of Japan.svg Takashi Yokoyama Dallara F396TOM'S-Toyota1-3
TOM'S 0364-16
19 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto YanagawaDallara F396TOM'S-Toyota All
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg DC Cook Motorsport 20 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paula Cook Dallara F396Mugen-Honda1-11
Flag of France.svg Graff Racing 23 Flag of France.svg Boris Derichebourg Dallara F396Opel11
Flag of France.svg Patrice Gay 14-15
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Z-Speed27 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin Byford Dallara F396Opel1–9, 11-15
Class B
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Z-Speed31 Flag of New Zealand.svg Simon Wills Dallara F394VauxhallAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Hopkins Motorsport33 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Philip HopkinsDallara F393 Fiat 1–6, 8–9, 11–13, 16
Flag of the United States.svg James Carney14-15
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Render Racing34 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'ConnellDallara F394Vauxhall1–3, 7–9, 12-13
Flag of Japan.svg Masami Nakamura14-16
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg SpeedSport F335 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Michael Bentwood Dallara F394VauxhallAll
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Team Magic Racing36 Flag of Japan.svg Shingo Tachi Dallara F394TOM'S-ToyotaAll
37 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins Dallara F394Mugen-Honda7-16
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mark Bailey Racing47 Flag of the United States.svg Tavo Hellmund Dallara F394TOM'S-Toyota1-7
48 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris ClarkDallara F394TOM'S-Toyota1-4

Race calendar and results

RoundCircuitDatePole PositionFastest LapWinning DriverWinning TeamClass B Winner
1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Silverstone 31 March Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fortec Motorsport Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell
2 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Davies Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Davies Flag of the United Kingdom.svg TWR Junior Team Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Thruxton 14 April Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Davies Flag of the United Kingdom.svg TWR Junior Team Flag of New Zealand.svg Simon Wills
4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Donington Park 5 May Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fortec Motorsport Flag of Japan.svg Shingo Tachi
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Brands Hatch 27 May Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of New Zealand.svg Simon Wills
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Philip Hopkins
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oulton Park 8 June Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Donington Park 23 June Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Smith Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kurt Mollekens Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Docking Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell
9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Silverstone 13 July Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Darren Manning Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Darren Manning Flag of the United Kingdom.svg SpeedSport F3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell
10 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Thruxton 28 July Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Darren Manning Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Fortec Motorsport Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins
11 1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Snetterton 11 August Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins
12 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Pembrey 1 September Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Flag of France.svg Promatecme Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins
13 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of Japan.svg Shingo Tachi
14 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Zandvoort 29 September Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kurt Mollekens Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kurt Mollekens Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alan Docking Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins
15 Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Smith Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Paul Stewart Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins
16 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Silverstone 13 October Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Flag of France.svg Promatecme Flag of New Zealand.svg Simon Wills

^1 Round 11 was shortened due to heavy rain, and a planned second race at Snetterton was also cancelled.

Championship

Class A

Pos.DriverTeamPoints
1 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ralph Firman Paul Stewart Racing 188
2 Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Kurt Mollekens Alan Docking Racing 148
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jonny Kane Paul Stewart Racing 146
4 Flag of France.svg Nicolas Minassian Promatecme 139
5 Flag of Colombia.svg Juan Pablo Montoya Fortec Motorsport 137
6 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Guy Smith Fortec Motorsport 132
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Darren Manning SpeedSport F3105
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Davies TWR Junior Team 98
9 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg James Matthews Promatecme 59
10 Flag of Argentina.svg Brian Smith TOM'S 44
11 Flag of the United States.svg Brian Cunningham Alan Docking Racing 34
12 Flag of Spain.svg Angel Burgueno Intersport31
13 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Mark Shaw TWR Junior Team 12
14 Flag of Uruguay.svg Gonzalo Rodríguez Alan Docking Racing 9
15 Flag of France.svg Patrice Gay Graff Racing 8
16 Flag of Japan.svg Takashi Yokoyama TOM'S 8
17 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin Byford Z-Speed7
18 Flag of Finland.svg Risto Virtanen Alan Docking Racing 4
19 Flag of Japan.svg Kazuto Yanagawa TOM'S 3

Class B

Pos.DriverTeamPoints
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Simon Wills Z-Speed201
2 Flag of Japan.svg Shingo Tachi Team Magic Racing192
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Ben Collins Team Magic Racing147
4 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Martin O'Connell Rowan Racing131
5 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Michael Bentwood SpeedSport F3119
6 Flag of the United States.svg Tavo Hellmund Mark Bailey Racing56
7 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Philip Hopkins Hopkins Motorsport52
8 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Chris Clark Mark Bailey Racing45
9 Flag of Japan.svg Masami Nakamura Render Racing20
10 Flag of the United States.svg James Carney Hopkins Motorsport12

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References

AUTOCOURSE 1996-97
British Motorsport Year 1996-97