2009 seats in demand

The positions on the grid of the most successful international education series for future Formula 1 and DTM drivers are in demand like never before. A total of 49 potential competitors were interested in securing one of the 32 grid positions available in 2009. For the first time in the history of Formula 3 racing, there were that many concrete entries. Such a massive interest despite the economically difficult times the world has to cope with, today, underlines the significance of this championship that also features two premium manufactures as engine suppliers on its grid: Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen.

In the end, the entries of all those teams that supported the championship in 2008 also were accepted for 2009. And the final four grid positions were assigned – strictly according to the date of entry receipt – to the team of the Motorsport Arena Oschersleben and the new Kolles & Heinz Union team. The list of the teams that are going to contest the 2009 season is headed by French squad ART Grand Prix – the team Nico HÃ¼lkenberg secured the 2008 title for, at the wheel of a Dallara F308 / Mercedes.

The interest of the teams that already have been involved in the series speaks for the success of the Formula 3 Euro Series concept – and the same applies for the rush of new top-class teams. Since its debut season, back in 2003, the series has established as the most successful and competitive international racing series for up-and-coming young drivers. Some two dozens of drivers succeeded in advancing to Formula 1, from the European Formula 3 series, with Lewis Hamilton representing the most prominent example. In 2005, the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Team’s new Formula 1 World Champion secured the Formula 3 Euro Series title. Meanwhile, German Grand Prix hopefuls Nico Rosberg, Sebastian Vettel, Adrian Sutil and Timo Glock also learned their trade, there. And for numerous other drivers, such as Paul di Resta, Jamie Green, Bruno Spengler, Alexandre Prémat and Markus Winkelhock, the Formula 3 Euro Series represented the stepping stone to DTM or other top-class motor-racing.

Formula 3 Euro Series: enrolled teams for 2009

Team Locality / Nation Number of vehicles
ART Grand Prix/F Villeneuve la Guyard/F 4
Signature-Plus/F Bourges/F 3
MÃ¼cke Motorsport/D Berlin/D 3
Prema Powerteam/I Grisignano di Zocco/I 3
Manor Motorsport/GB Sheffield/GB 4
SG Formula/F La Rochelle/F 3
Jo Zeller Racing/CH Oetwil am See/CH 1
RC Motorsport/I Lacchiarella/I 3
Carlin Motorsport/GB Hampshire/GB 2
HBR Motorsport/A Brixlegg/A 2
Motopark Academy/D Oschersleben/D 2
Kolles & Heinz Union/D Trier/D 2

[Editor's Note: We have no idea where all this money comes from … A season in F3 Euroseries costs inbetween 700,000 and 1 million + Euro (depending on team and testing time, which – by the way – has already started ). On top of this most of these drivers also compete at the Masters of F3 event (Zolder, Belgium) and the end of season blue ribbon event at Macau (invitation only, but the drivers still need to have the budget …). Credit crunch … not in F3 Euroseries apparently….]