How 50-car Formula 3 could work
The Formula 3 European Championship has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons occasionally in 2015, but would 50-car fields be unmanageable? MARCUS SIMMONS explains how it wouldn't have to be
Last January the press department for the Formula 3 European Championship sent out a release proudly declaring that 50 entry requests had been received for 2015.
No one really believed that 50 cars were going to turn up three months later for the opening round at Silverstone, but it did cause cautious estimates to rise from the high twenties to the low thirties, and it was 35 that materialised in the paddock under the traditionally eye-wateringly cold Northamptonshire skies - up from the record 30 that had appeared for the opening European F3 round at Monza in 2013.
Share Or Save This Story
Marcus Simmons is the Deputy Editor of Autosport magazine. As a child he was a regular on the chalk banks of Thruxton – hence his unhealthy obsession with 1970s Formula 2 and F3 – before he became an MSA timekeeper at the age of 17. At 19, his reporting debut for Motoring News arguably overshadowed Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal as the sporting moment of June 1986, and he joined the staff in 1990 after graduating from his degree course in Plymouth. A parallel Formula First career – which was as incident-packed as his childhood exploits in show-jumping and hunter trials – finished when he wrote off his car and put himself in hospital in 1991.
Marcus moved to Autosport in the summer of 1996. Since then he has had two stints as a freelancer and a brief spell as editor of Motor Sport magazine, during which the revered green cover was revived, before he rejoined Autosport in 2008. He lives in Teddington with his wife (who, gratifyingly, grew up within earshot of Castle Combe), daughter, stepson, dog, cat and guitars, and additionally has an adult daughter and stepson.
More from Marcus Simmons
Sutton tops final BTCC pre-season test
Wheldon Jr hailed as big talent by team boss after winning debut
How Ingram is seeking to reclaim the BTCC crown from Sutton
Excelr8 driver Pearson beats big guns in latest BTCC test at Croft
The tin-top world champion seeking to tick a "missing box" in the BTCC
Thompson stakes claim for full-time BTCC seat with first BMW test
Hill tops first official BTCC test
Thompson gets BTCC WSR BMW test at Brands
Latest news
Norris had no reason to apologise for China F1 sprint showing, says McLaren
Supercars New Zealand: Heimgartner splashes to Taupo opener victory
Hamilton: Norris would have been better off conceding in Turn 1
Leclerc: Sainz “over the limit” with defence in F1 Chinese GP sprint race
Autosport Plus
The short-term pain that hides a very real Williams improvement
How a Shanghai to Sheffield journey paved the way for China’s F1 hero
Why F1 2026 worst case fears could be key to new rules success
How the F1 driver market situation sits for each team with 2025 openings
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.