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1997 British Formula Three Championship

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The 1997 British Formula Three season was the 47th British Formula Three Championship, won by Jonny Kane. The season started on 23 March at Donington Park and ended at Thruxton on 12 October following sixteen races. Kane built on a strong finish to his 1996 campaign by scoring podium finishes at each of the first six races in 1997. This would be enough to keep title rival Nicolas Minassian at bay, who was hindered by a disqualification from second place and a two-race ban for unsportsmanlike behaviour at the third round at Thruxton. The Frenchman was baulked by backmarker Michael Bentwood whilst leading, allowing Kane to overtake and take victory. After the chequered flag, the infuriated Minassian proceeded to brake-test Bentwood to a halt and hurl gravel towards the Englishman. Without having lost the 15 points awarded for second position as well as further potential points at the next two races, it is highly likely that Minassian would have been champion.

Drivers and Teams

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Team No. Driver Chassis Engine Rounds
Class A
United Kingdom Stewart Racing 1 United Kingdom Jonny Kane Dallara F397 Mugen Honda All
2 United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck All
United Kingdom Fortec Motorsport 3 United Kingdom Ben Collins Dallara F397 HKS Mitsubishi All
4 Argentina Brian Smith All
France Promatecme 5 Brazil Enrique Bernoldi Dallara F397 Renault All
6 France Nicolas Minassian 1-3, 6-16
United Kingdom Darren Manning 4-5
United Kingdom Alan Docking Racing 7 Japan Haruki Kurosawa Dallara F397 Mugen Honda All
8 Japan Yudai Igarashi All
11 Australia Mark Webber All
United Kingdom SpeedSport F3 9 United Kingdom Michael Bentwood Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1, 3-16
10 United Kingdom Darren Manning Dallara F396 1-3, 6-16
United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 4-5
Republic of Ireland Martin Donnelly Racing 14 United Kingdom Mark Shaw Dallara F397 Opel All
15 Brazil Mario Haberfeld All
United Kingdom Carlin Motorsport 25 United Kingdom Henry Stanton Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1-9, 11, 14
United Kingdom Jamie Spence 16
United Kingdom TOM'S 16 Italy Giovanni Anapoli TOM'S 037F Toyota 1-4
United Kingdom Jamie Spence 5-8
United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 15-16
17 United Kingdom Kevin McGarrity 1-10
19 United Kingdom Darren Turner 7-13
32 Brazil Ricardo Mauricio 7-16
United Kingdom DC Cook Motorsport 18 United Kingdom Guy Smith Dallara F397 Opel All
22 United Kingdom Paula Cook All
United Kingdom Portman Racing 21 United Kingdom Darren Turner Dallara F397 HKS Mitsubishi 1-5
United Kingdom Warren Hughes 9-16
27 Malaysia Alex Yoong 14-15
Brazil MRS 32 Brazil Ricardo Mauricio Dallara F397 Mugen Honda 1-5
United Kingdom Intersport 24 New Zealand Simon Wills Dallara F397 Opel All
United Kingdom DKS 25 United Kingdom Tommy Field TOM'S 037F Toyota 8
United Kingdom Jamie Spence 12-13
United Kingdom Rowan Racing 26 United Kingdom Martin O'Connell TOM'S 037F Toyota 12-16
France ASM 30 Belgium David Saelens Dallara F397 Opel 14
31 France Sebastien Philippe 14
France La Filiere 33 France Franck Montagny Martini MK73 Opel 14
34 Spain Oriol Servia 14
35 Switzerland Marcel Fässler 14
Netherlands Van Amersfoort Racing 36 Belgium Bas Leinders Dallara F397 Opel 14
Italy Prema Powerteam 37 Netherlands Donny Crevels Dallara F397 Opel 14
Germany Opel Team BSR 38 Germany Andreas Scheld Dallara F397 Opel 14
Belgium JB Motorsports 39 Belgium Yves Olivier Dallara F397 Opel 14
Class B
United Kingdom Rowan Racing 51 United Kingdom Martin O'Connell Dallara F395 Toyota 1-6, 8-11
United Kingdom Ian James 14-15
United Kingdom Tarry Falcon Racing 52 United Kingdom Jeremy Gumbley Dallara F396 Mugen Honda 8
United Kingdom Damon Wellman 12-13, 15-16

Race calendar and results

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Round Circuit Date Pole Position Fastest Lap Winning Driver Winning Team Class B Winner
1 United Kingdom Donington Park 23 March United Kingdom Guy Smith United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Stewart Racing No Finishers
2 United Kingdom Silverstone 6 April France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme No Finishers
3 United Kingdom Thruxton 13 April France Nicolas Minassian United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Stewart Racing United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
4 United Kingdom Brands Hatch 27 April Australia Mark Webber Australia Mark Webber Australia Mark Webber United Kingdom Alan Docking Racing United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
5 United Kingdom Silverstone 11 May Australia Mark Webber United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Stewart Racing United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
6 United Kingdom Croft 18 May United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
7 United Kingdom Oulton Park 22 June United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck United Kingdom Stewart Racing No Entrants
8 United Kingdom Silverstone 12 July France Nicolas Minassian Brazil Enrique Bernoldi Brazil Mario Haberfeld United Kingdom Martin Donnelly Racing United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
9 United Kingdom Pembrey 17 August Australia Mark Webber Argentina Brian Smith Argentina Brian Smith United Kingdom Fortec Motorsport No Finishers
10 Brazil Ricardo Mauricio France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
11 United Kingdom Donington Park 24 August France Nicolas Minassian United Kingdom Martin O'Connell France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Martin O'Connell
12 United Kingdom Snetterton 14 September Argentina Brian Smith Brazil Enrique Bernoldi Brazil Mario Haberfeld United Kingdom Martin Donnelly Racing United Kingdom Damon Wellman
13 France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Damon Wellman
14* Belgium Spa-Francorchamps 28 September France Franck Montagny France Nicolas Minassian Brazil Enrique Bernoldi France Promatecme No Finishers
15 United Kingdom Silverstone 5 October France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Ian James
16 United Kingdom Thruxton 12 October United Kingdom Jonny Kane United Kingdom Guy Smith France Nicolas Minassian France Promatecme United Kingdom Damon Wellman
  • Round 14 was contested by an assortment of entrants from other European F3 championships; they were eligible to score points.

Championship

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Championship Class

Pos Driver DON
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
THR
United Kingdom
BRH
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
CRO
United Kingdom
OUL
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
PEM
United Kingdom
DON
United Kingdom
SNE
United Kingdom
SPA
Belgium
SIL
United Kingdom
THR
United Kingdom
Pts
Class A
1 United Kingdom Jonny Kane 1 3 1 3 1 2 4 Ret 2 6 2 3 2 NS 5 2 199
2 France Nicolas Minassian 4 1 DSQ EX EX 1 Ret 3 Ret 1 1 4 1 6 1 1 183
3 United Kingdom Peter Dumbreck 5 2 3 2 4 3 1 13 3 Ret 5 6 5 NS 7 4 149
4 Australia Mark Webber 6 6 Ret 1 8 4 8 2 4 3 4 Ret 6 4 3 7 131
5 Brazil Enrique Bernoldi 3 INJ INJ 14 6 5 Ret 10 8 2 8 2 3 1 2 3 127
6 Brazil Mario Haberfeld 9 Ret 7 5 3 11 5 1 Ret 4 Ret 1 7 7 21 5 108
7 Argentina Brian Smith Ret 7 4 7 17 8 7 5 1 10 7 7 10 NS 13 Ret 72
8 United Kingdom Ben Collins 12 5 8 6 13 7 2 8 11 8 Ret NS NS 8 4 8 64
9 United Kingdom Guy Smith 2 10 10 8 14 12 6 6 15 9 6 Ret 4 24 8 14 60
10 United Kingdom Kevin McGarrity 7 NS Ret Ret 11 9 3 4 6 Ret 36
11 Brazil Ricardo Mauricio 14 11 6 Ret 15 Ret 7 5 Ret Ret 8 Ret 9 10 Ret 26
12 United Kingdom Darren Manning 10 4 NS 9 5 14 Ret 12 Ret 14 Ret 14 11 NS 9 12 26
13 New Zealand Simon Wills 8 Ret 9 11 9 10 Ret 16 Ret 7 11 9 12 12 Ret 11 22
14 United Kingdom Jamie Spence 7 Ret Ret 9 5 9 Ret 18
15 United Kingdom Warren Hughes 14 16 9 11 8 Ret 6 6 18
16 United Kingdom Mark Shaw 11 9 5 13 Ret 16 9 17 9 13 13 Ret 13 22 12 Ret 16
17 Belgium David Saelens 2 15
18 France Franck Montagny 3 12
19 Spain Oriol Servia 5 8
20 United Kingdom Paula Cook 13 NS 12 Ret Ret Ret 10 Ret 7 11 16 Ret Ret 20 18 10 7
21 Italy Giovanni Anapoli Ret 8 13 Ret 3
22 United Kingdom Martin O'Connell Ret 14 11 15 9 2
23 United Kingdom Darren Turner Ret 14 11 Ret 16 Ret 14 Ret 12 15 10 18 2
24 United Kingdom Henry Stanton Ret 12 Ret Ret Ret NS NS 11 Ret 10 23 2
25 United Kingdom Michael Bentwood 15 14 10 12 15 11 19 13 17 17 12 16 21 16 13 1
26 United Kingdom Andy Priaulx 16 10 Ret 17 1
27 Japan Haruki Kurosawa 16 13 Ret 12 Ret 13 12 18 10 Ret 14 Ret Ret 19 17 15 1
28 Belgium Bas Leinders 10 1
29 Malaysia Alex Yoong 16 11
30 Japan Yudai Igarashi 17 15 Ret 15 Ret Ret Ret Ret 12 15 12 13 15 Ret 14 16
31 France Sebastien Philippe 13
32 Netherlands Donny Crevels 14
33 Germany Andreas Scheld 15
34 Belgium Yves Olivier 17
35 Switzerland Marcel Fässler 18
36 United Kingdom Tommy Field 20
Class B
1 United Kingdom Martin O'Connell Ret Ret 2 4 2 6 15 Ret 5 3 148
2 United Kingdom Damon Wellman 15 17 20 18 78
3 United Kingdom Ian James Ret 19 21
4 United Kingdom Jeremy Gumbley 21 15
Pos Driver DON
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
THR
United Kingdom
BRH
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
CRO
United Kingdom
OUL
United Kingdom
SIL
United Kingdom
PEM
United Kingdom
DON
United Kingdom
SNE
United Kingdom
SPA
Belgium
SIL
United Kingdom
THR
United Kingdom
Pts

References

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AUTOCOURSE 1997-98
British Motorsport Year 1997-98

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