The 2016 GP3 Series was the seventh season of the third-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also seventh season under the moniker of GP3 Series, a motor racing feeder series that runs in support of the 2016 FIA Formula One World Championship and sister series GP2. In keeping with the series' philosophy of updating its technical regulations every three years, the Dallara GP3/13 chassis introduced in the 2013 season was discontinued and Dallara supplied all teams with a new model known as the GP3/16, which will be used until 2018. [1]
Mecachrome took over as official engine supplier of the series from 2016 onwards, replacing AER after three years but the 3.4-litre V6 naturally-aspirated would remain.
ART Grand Prix started the season as the defending teams' champions, and successfully defended their title, securing the championship after the first race at Monza. [2] Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, who drove for ART Grand Prix, won the drivers' title after the first race in the final round in Abu Dhabi. [3]
The most races were won by runner-up Alexander Albon, who scored 4 race wins, he lost the title by 25 points to his ART Grand Prix teammate Charles Leclerc who took 3 feature race wins; Antonio Fuoco took 2 race wins, Jake Dennis and Nyck de Vries also took 2 podiums each on the top step. Jake Hughes took 2 sprint race wins; he won in Hockenheim and Yas Marina. Jack Aitken, Matthew Parry, and Ralph Boschung each took 1 race win during the season.
Teams are allowed to run four cars to compensate for the drop in the number of entries. [4] The starting grid for any individual race meeting may contain a possible maximum of 28 cars across seven teams.
| Team | No. | Driver name | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| | 1 | | All |
| 2 | | All | |
| 3 | | All | |
| 4 | | All | |
| | 5 | | All |
| 6 | | All | |
| 7 | | All | |
| 8 | | All | |
| | 9 | | All |
| 10 | | All | |
| 11 | | All | |
| | 14 | | All |
| 15 | | 1 | |
| 16 | | All | |
| 17 | | 1–5, 7 | |
| | 6 | ||
| | 18 | | All |
| 19 | | 1–2, 4 | |
| | 6 | ||
| | 8–9 | ||
| 20 | | 1–2 | |
| | 3–9 | ||
| | 22 | | All |
| 23 | | All | |
| 24 | | All | |
| | 26 | | All |
| 27 | | All | |
| 28 | | All |
On 4 March 2016, the full calendar was revealed with nine rounds taking place. [32]
| Round | Circuit/Location | Country | Date | Supporting | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | R1 | Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Barcelona | 14 May | Spanish Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 15 May | ||||
| 2 | R1 | Red Bull Ring, Spielberg | 2 July | Austrian Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 3 July | ||||
| 3 | R1 | Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone | 9 July | British Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 10 July | ||||
| 4 | R1 | Hungaroring, Budapest | 23 July | Hungarian Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 24 July | ||||
| 5 | R1 | Hockenheimring, Hockenheim | 30 July | German Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 31 July | ||||
| 6 | R1 | Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Francorchamps | 27 August | Belgian Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 28 August | ||||
| 7 | R1 | Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza | 3 September | Italian Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 4 September | ||||
| 8 | R1 | Sepang International Circuit, Sepang | 1 October | Malaysian Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 2 October | ||||
| 9 | R1 | Yas Marina Circuit, Abu Dhabi | 26 November | Abu Dhabi Grand Prix | |
| R2 | 27 November | ||||
| Sources: [33] [34] | |||||
Points were awarded to the top 10 classified finishers in the race 1, and to the top 8 classified finishers in the race 2. The pole-sitter in the race 1 also received four points, and two points were given to the driver who set the fastest lap inside the top ten in both the race 1 and race 2. No extra points were awarded to the pole-sitter in the race 2. [37]
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | Pole | FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 25 | 18 | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 |
Points were awarded to the top 8 classified finishers. [37]
| Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | FL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points | 15 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
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Notes:
Only three best-finishing cars are allowed to score points in the championship. [39]
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Notes:
Raghunathan, in addition to Auto GP, will also attend the GP3 with the team Koiranen.