F3 / GT 2003 calendar

[redshoes]

Next year's Britsh F3 and GT Championship calendar was announced. You may wonder what this has to do with a Touring Car forum well read on.

2003 BRITISH F3/GT CHAMPIONSHIP PROVISIONAL CALENDAR

April 5/6 Donington Park National
April 20/21 Snetterton
May 3/4 Brands Hatch GP
May 10/11 Knockhill
May 25/26 Silverstone International + BTCC
June 21/22 Castle Combe
July 12/13 Oulton Park
July 26/27 Croft
August 9/10 Thruxton
August 30/31 Spa-Francorchamps
September 6/7 Donington Park GP (F3 Only) + BTCC
September 27/28 Rockingham

BRITISH FORMULA 3 CHAMPIONSHIP – KEY POINTS
New three race format: Single Scholarship and Championship races + combined feature race at nine rounds.
Revised qualifying format. Morning sessions to decide grid for the single class races. Afternoon sessions to decide the grid for the feature race, Championship class to take priority on the feature race grid.
Increased International awareness by TV and Media is a priority.
Subject to agreement with the governing bodies and teams, to investigate the possibility of an F3 “Oval” race at Rockingham.
British F3 Championship prize fund in excess of £140,000.
A Scholarship award to continue, one of many examples of the BRDC’s continuing commitment to young driver discovery and development.

BRITISH GT CHAMPIONSHIP – KEY POINTS
Standard race length of 75 minutes to increase the amount of track time for teams, drivers and spectators and to recognise the 75th Anniversary year of the BRDC.
Option of introducing of several longer/variable style races:
- Castle Combe/Knockhill 2 x 40 mins "Supersprints"
- Snetterton 2 hours
- Silverstone 3 hours evening/dusk race for the British Empire Trophy
- Spa 1000Kms
Open GT class to remain and cars to able to run to 2002 regulations. The performance between GT and GTO cars to be equalised through pit stops.
Entry level British GT Cup class for high-performance sports cars running below GTO specification. This would encompass Porsche Cup cars, Ferrari and TVR one-make championship cars, other potential vehicle types could include Audi TTs, Vauxhall VX220s, Morgan Aeros, Lotus Elise and BMW M3s, for example.
Performance to be equalised by close technical control based around power to weight ratio.
Dunlop to continue as the official tyre.

Note the BTCC/F3/GT mega-event at Silversone and the BTCC/F3 event at Donington.