# 1997 British Formula Three Championship

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

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

## Race calendar and results

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

## Championship

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