2006 Formula 3 Euro Series

2006 saw the Euro Series make its debut at three venues: Brands Hatch in the UK, the Circuit de Catalunya near Barcelona in Spain, and Le Mans. This was the first time that rounds had been held in Britain and Spain.

A number of regulatory changes took place prior to the 2006 season. Mid-season testing was heavily restricted to a maximum of 10 days per driver/car, with no testing at race venues, leaving teams and drivers to make the most of the race weekend test sessions. The qualifying session for race 2 was dropped in favour of a result-based reverse grid system. The finishing order of race 1 decided the grid for race 2, with the top eight finishers reversed. Chassis specifications of between two and four years old (from 2002–2004) were permitted for the first time, with the creation of the Drivers' Trophy title. Eligibility for this award was restricted to drivers who were not more than 22 years old.^[1]

After Lewis Hamilton's domination of the 2005 season, the 2006 championship battle was considerably closer. The title was won by Scotsman Paul di Resta, who ended the year 11 points ahead of Germany's Sebastian Vettel. For much of the season, di Resta and Vettel were exchanging the points lead, but the German's focus wavered towards the end of the year. BMW-Sauber's motorsport director Mario Theissen attributed this to the busy schedule that Vettel undertook as his team's test driver in the last three Grands Prix of the 2006 F1 season.^[2] Other drivers worthy of note included Kamui Kobayashi, who finished on the podium twice on the way to winning the Rookie Cup, and race winner Kazuki Nakajima, whose performances attracted a testing contract with Williams.

Not surprisingly, the two main championship contenders were team-mates at ASM Formule 3, the French-based team that has dominated the Euro Series for the last three seasons with three Drivers' and Teams' Championship titles in succession. 2006 saw another improvement in form from Manor Motorsport – a former multiple champion team in British F3. With Japan's Kohei Hirate and the experienced Esteban Guerrieri, it was frequently ASM's closest challenger and finished 2nd in the Teams' Championship standings. This year, Manor was no longer the sole British team in the Euroseries – it was joined by entries from Hitech Racing and Fortec Motorsport at Hockenheim (round 1) and Brands Hatch (round 4).

With only one race win for an Opel-powered car – from a reverse-grid pole position – it was another season of domination by the HWA-built Mercedes engine. Dallara was the de facto sole supplier of chassis, with the Signature SLC project on indefinite hold and the Mygale chassis still yet to race in this series.

2006 Entry List[3] Team # Driver Rookie Chassis[N 1] Engine Rounds   ASM Formule 3 1   Sebastian Vettel F305/059 Mercedes All 2   Paul di Resta F305/021 All 16   Giedo van der Garde F306/012 All 17   Kamui Kobayashi R F305/012 All   Manor Motorsport 3   Kohei Hirate F305/001 Mercedes All 4   Esteban Guerrieri F305/020 All 18   Kazuki Nakajima F305/062 All   Prema Powerteam 5   Alejandro Núñez F306/004 Mercedes All 6   Ronayne O'Mahony F305/023 All 19   João Urbano R F306/005 1–5   Paolo Maria Nocera 6–9   Roberto Streit 10   ASL Mücke Motorsport 7   Sébastien Buemi F305/011 Mercedes All 8   Jonathan Summerton R F305/028 All   Signature-Plus 9   Guillaume Moreau F305/035 Mercedes All 10   Romain Grosjean F305/029 All 20   Charlie Kimball F306/010 All 21   Tim Sandtler R F305/036 All   HBR Motorsport 11   Richard Antinucci F305/045 Mercedes All   Team ISR 14   Filip Salaquarda F306/009 Opel All   Bas Leinders Junior Racing Team 22   Michael Herck[N 2] F306/016 Mercedes All   Jo Zeller Racing 24   Peter Elkmann F306/014 Opel 1–7   Natacha Gachnang 9–10   Julia Kuhn 25   Julia Kuhn F305/063 Opel 1–2, 4, 6   Fortec Motorsport 26   Yelmer Buurman F305/002 Mercedes 1, 4   Hitech Racing 29   James Jakes F305/037 Mercedes 1, 4 30   James Walker F305/003 1, 4   Bordoli Motorsport 31   Natacha Gachnang F305/026 Opel 5–6   Van Amersfoort Racing 32   Dominick Muermans F306/023 Opel 7 33   Récardo Bruins Choi F305/046 7 Trophy   Janiec Racing Team 40   Anthony Janiec F302/063 Renault 1, 3, 5–7, 9–10 46   Julien Abelli F302/067 9   HBR Motorsport 41   Cemil Çipa F304/012 Opel 1, 3, 5–7, 9–10   SMS Seyffarth Motorsport 42   Kevin Fank F302/032 Mercedes 1   Gina-Maria Adenauer 5 43   Julian Theobald F303/015 1, 3, 5–7 44   Bruno Fechner F302/012 1, 6–7   Dominik Schraml 3   FS Motorsport 45 F302/050 Opel 5

Icon Legend R Rookie

Changed Teams

• Richard Antinucci: Team Midland Euroseries → HBR Motosport
• Giedo van der Garde: Team Rosberg → ASM Formule 3
• Esteban Guerrieri: Team Midland Euroseries → Manor Motosport
• Kohei Hirate: Team Rosberg → Manor Motosport
• Paul di Resta: Manor Motorsport → ASM Formule 3
• Sebastian Vettel: Mücke Motorsport → ASM Formule 3

Entering/Re-Entering Formula 3 Euro Series

• Richard Antinucci: All-Japan Formula Three Championship (TOM'S) → HBR Motorsport
• Récardo Bruins Choi: Formula Renault 2.0 Germany & Formula Renault 2.0 Netherlands (van Amersfoort Racing) → van Amersfoort Racing
• Sébastien Buemi: Formula BMW ADAC (ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) → ASL Mücke Motorsport
• Yelmer Buurman: Formula Renault 2.0 UK (Fortec Motorsport) → Fortec Motorsport
• Peter Elkmann: Recaro Formel 3 Cup (Jo Zeller Racing) → Jo Zeller Racing
• Natacha Gachnang: Formula BMW ADAC (Josef Kaufmann Racing) → Bordoli Motorsport
• Romain Grosjean: Championnat de France Formula Renault 2.0 & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (SG Formula) → Signature-Plus
• Michael Herck: British Formula 3 Championship & Austria Formula 3 Cup (Junior Racing Team) → Bas Leinders Junior Racing Team
• James Jakes: Formula Renault 2.0 UK (Team aka) → Hitech Racing
• Charlie Kimball: British Formula 3 Championship (Carlin Motorsport) → Signature-Plus
• Kamui Kobayashi: Formula Renault 2.0 Italy & Eurocup Formula Renault 2.0 (Prema Powerteam) → ASM Formule 3
• Dominick Muermans: Formula Renault 2.0 Germany & Formula Renault 2.0 Netherlands (van Amersfoort Racing) → van Amersfoort Racing
• Kazuki Nakajima: All-Japan Formula Three Championship (TOM'S) → Manor Motorsport
• Paolo Maria Nocera: Italian Formula Three Championship (Lucidi Motors) → Prema Powerteam
• Ronayne O'Mahony: British Formula 3 Championship (Fortec Motorsport) → Prema Powerteam
• Filip Salaquarda: Recaro Formel 3 Cup (ISR Racing) → Team I.S.R.
• Tim Sandtler: Formula BMW ADAC (Mamerow Racing) → Signature Plus
• Roberto Streit: All-Japan Formula Three Championship (Inging) → Prema Powerteam
• Jonathan Summerton: Formula BMW ADAC (Team Rosberg) → ASL Mücke Motorsport
• João Urbano: Formula BMW ADAC (ADAC Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.) → Prema Powerteam
• James Walker: British Formula 3 Championship (Fortec Motorsport) → Hitech Racing

Entering Trophy Class

• Julien Abelli: Karting → Janiec Racing Team
• Gina-Maria Adenauer: Toyota Yaris Cup Germany → SMS Seyffarth Motorsport
• Cemil Çipa: Formula 3 Turkey → HBR Motorsport
• Kevin Fank: Recaro Formel 3 Cup Trophy Class (JMS Motorsport) → SMS Seyffarth Motorsport
• Bruno Fechner: Formula Renault 2.0 Germany (Kern Motorsport) → SMS Seyffarth Motorsport
• Anthony Janiec: French Formula Three Championship Class B (JMP Racing) → Janiec Racing Team
• Dominik Schraml: Recaro Formel 3 Cup (Swiss Racing Team) → SMS Seyffarth Motorsport

Leaving Formula 3 Euro Series

• Átila Abreu: Mücke Motorsport → StockCar Brasil (RS Competições)
• Rob Austin: Team Midland Euroseries → SEAT Cupra Great Britain R class (Startline Services)
• Marco Bonanomi: Prema Powerteam → Euroseries 3000 (Fisichella Motor Sport) & World Series by Renault (Tech 1 Racing)
• Fabio Carbone: Signature → All-Japan Formula Three Championship (Three Bond Racing)
• Ben Clucas: Team Midland Euroseries → Australian Formula 3 (Bronte Rundle Motorsport)
• Loïc Duval: Signature Plus → Formula Nippon (PIAA Nakajima Racing) & Super GT (Nakajima Racing)
• Gregory Franchi: Prema Powerteam → World Series by Renault (Prema Powerteam)
• Maximilian Götz: ASM Formule 3 → International Formula Master (ISR Racing)
• Lucas di Grassi: Manor Motorsport → GP2 Series (Durango)
• Lewis Hamilton: ASM Formule 3 → GP2 Series (ART Grand Prix)
• Thomas Holzer: AM-Holzer Rennsport → Retirement
• Stephen Jelley: Team Midland Euroseries → British Formula 3 Championship (Räikkönen Robertson Racing)
• Paolo Montin: Ombra Racing → Porsche Carrera Cup Italy (Bonaldi Motorsport)
• Hannes Neuhauser: HBR Motorsport → Porsche Supercup (Konrad Motorsport)
• Alejandro Núñez: HBR Motorsport → Prema Powerteam
• Franck Perera: Prema Powerteam → GP2 Series (DAMS)
• James Rossiter: Signature Plus → World Series by Renault (Pons Racing)
• Adrian Sutil: ASM Formule 3 → All-Japan Formula Three Championship (TOM's)
• Nico Verdonck: Team Midland Euroseries → Spanish Formula Three by Toyota (R. Llusia Racing)
• Ross Zwolsman: RZ Racing → ATS Formel 3 Cup (Rennsport Rössler)
• Danny Watts: HBR Motorsport → Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain (Red Line Racing)

Prema Powerteam's third entry was taken over by Italy's Paulo Maria Nocera for four rounds, starting at the Nürburgring. He in turn was replaced by Brazil's Roberto Streit at the final round of the season. Bruno Rudolf Fechner started five races in SMS Seyffarth Motorsport's #44 entry, but was substituted by fellow German Dominik Schraml in round 3 at Oschersleben. The #44 car was not present at every round. Schraml made a one-off return at the Norisring, driving a Dallara-Opel for FS Motorsport. Kevin Fank's #42 SMS Seyffarth Motorsport entry returned at the Norisring in the hands of Gina Maria Adenauer before it, too, failed to make another appearance. Like the drivers that they replaced, Schraml and Adenauer were eligible for the Drivers' Trophy. Julien Abelli, of Janiec Racing, did not make any appearances until the Le Mans round.

In round 5 at the Norisring, F3 rookie Natacha Gachnang of Switzerland drove a second entry for Jo Zeller Racing. She also competed in rounds 6, 9, and 10. In the F3 Masters at Zandvoort, ATS F3 Cup team Van Amersfoort Racing made a one-off appearance with two cars for its Cup regulars, Dominik Muermans and Récardo Bruins Choi.

• The series supported the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters at all rounds.

Round		Circuit/Location	Country	Date
1	R1	Hockenheimring	Germany	8 April
	R2			9 April
2	R1	EuroSpeedway Lausitz	Germany	29 April
	R2			30 April
3	R1	Motorsport Arena Oschersleben	Germany	20 May
	R2			21 May
4	R1	Brands Hatch	United Kingdom	1 July
	R2			2 July
5	R1	Norisring, Nuremberg	Germany	22 July
	R2			23 July
6	R1	Nürburgring	Germany	19 August
	R2			20 August
7	R1	Circuit Park Zandvoort	Netherlands	2 September
	R2			3 September
8	R1	Circuit de Catalunya	Spain	23 September
	R2			24 September
9	R1	Bugatti Circuit, Le Mans	France	14 October
	R2			15 October
10	R1	Hockenheimring	Germany	28 October
	R2			29 October

The Drivers' Trophy is restricted to drivers who are not more than 22 years old, using chassis specifications that are 2 to 4 years old.

• Points are awarded as follows:

Pos Driver HOC1   LAU   OSC   BRH   NOR   NÜR   ZAN   CAT   LMS   HOC2   Pts 1   Paul di Resta 3 Ret 2 3 1 12 1 5 1 18† 2 13 1 14 10 6 1 6 10 6 86 2   Sebastian Vettel 5 1 3 6 5 14 2 7 2 Ret 1 1 24† 2 1 Ret 9 9 3 12 75 3   Kohei Hirate 1 4 18† 11 4 2 DNS 17 4 Ret 5 Ret 3 13 2 4 5 3 5 7 61 4   Esteban Guerrieri 14 3 1 5 2 3 16 12 10 DNS Ret 5 8 4 3 7 6 8 1 4 58 5   Richard Antinucci 7 DNS 5 2 9 Ret 3 23† DSQ EX 7 2 14 16 8 1 8 1 12 8 38 6   Giedo van der Garde Ret 7 12 9 Ret 11 4 19 6 1 3 11 2 5 16 8 DNS 12 9 2 37 7   Kazuki Nakajima 2 6 8 1 6 5 14 13 Ret 5 9 18 22 3 4 3 11 7 Ret DNS 36 8   Kamui Kobayashi 6 5 11 10 11 7 6 3 5 2 8 3 5 Ret 5 Ret DNS 14 Ret 9 34 9   Jonathan Summerton Ret 11 4 7 17 Ret 12 10 3 13 24† 16 6 17 Ret Ret 2 4 8 1 32 10   Guillaume Moreau 4 2 7 Ret 8 4 13 20 18† 6 11 Ret 7 7 9 10 3 5 4 Ret 32 11   Charlie Kimball 22† 12 9 8 10 Ret 15 11 13 4 10 6 11 1 6 2 4 2 6 Ret 31 12   Sébastien Buemi 19 14 Ret 12 7 1 21 16 7 11 4 8 Ret 8 7 5 DSQ 11 2 3 31 13   Romain Grosjean 21† 13 6 4 3 6 9 6 12 8 18 10 4 11 NC 9 20 10 DSQ DSQ 19 14   Peter Elkmann 12 21 13 18 21 13 8 1 9 3 12 4 10 9 14 15   Michael Herck Ret 16 Ret 14 Ret DNS 7 2 Ret 10 6 Ret 9 23 12 Ret 7 13 11 Ret 12 16   James Jakes 9 8 5 4 7 17   Roberto Streit 7 5 4 18   Tim Sandtler 15 22† 16 16 16 17 Ret 22 19† 9 13 9 13 6 11 11 10 15 18 15 1 19   João Urbano 11 9 10 13 12 9 19 24 8 Ret 1 20   Yelmer Buurman 8 Ret 11 9 1 21   Alejandro Núñez 10 10 19 17† 13 8 18 15 Ret 7 22 21 12 22 13 12 14 16 14 Ret 0 22   Filip Salaquarda Ret 15 14 Ret 14 10 20 18 14 17† 15 7 15 10 15 Ret 16 18 Ret 11 0 23   James Walker 20† Ret 10 8 0 24   Natacha Gachnang 15 DNS 23 15 12 Ret 13 10 0 25   Ronayne O’Mahony Ret 17 15 15 15 15 17 14 11 12 14 22† 23† 19 14 Ret 13 17 15 13 0 26   Paolo Maria Nocera Ret 12 17 Ret Ret Ret 15 19 0 27   Récardo Bruins Choi 16 12 0 28   Julia Kuhn DNQ DNQ 17 Ret 22 21 20 20 0 29   Dominick Muermans Ret 20 0 Trophy Class 1   Julian Theobald 13 18 18 16 17 15 17 14 19 15 73 2   Anthony Janiec 16 19 Ret 20 Ret 14 19 17 21 DNS 19 21 16 16 67 3   Cemil Çipa 18 20 19 18 Ret DNS 21 19 20 21 17 Ret 17 14 65 4   Bruno Fechner Ret DNS 16 Ret 18 18 25 5   Gina-Maria Adenauer 16 16 14 6   Dominik Schraml 20 19 DSQ Ret 10 7   Kevin Fank 17 Ret 6 guest drivers ineligible for championship points   Julien Abelli 18 20 0 Pos Driver HOC1   LAU   OSC   BRH   NOR   NÜR   ZAN   CAT   LMS   HOC2   Pts

Colour Result Gold Winner Silver Second place Bronze Third place Green Points finish Blue Non-points finish Non-classified finish (NC) Purple Retired (Ret) Red Did not qualify (DNQ) Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) Black Disqualified (DSQ) White Did not start (DNS) Withdrew (WD) Race cancelled (C) Blank Did not practice (DNP) Did not arrive (DNA) Excluded (EX) Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest Lap

† — Drivers did not finish the race, but were classified as they completed over 90% of the race distance.

The effects of the new reverse-grid system – which put the 8th-placed finisher from race 1 on pole for race 2 – can be seen clearly in this chart. 50% of the race 2 pole sitters went on to win, while there was only one double winner (Vettel in round 6) and no other race 1 winner even reached the podium in race 2.

Rookie drivers are only eligible for the Rookie Cup title if they have not previously competed in a national or international Formula 3 championship.

Pos	Driver	HOC1		LAU		OSC		BRH		NOR		NÜR		ZAN		CAT		LMS		HOC2		Pts
1	Kamui Kobayashi	6	5	11	10	11	7	6	3	5	2	8	3	5	Ret	5	Ret	DNS	14	Ret	9	119
2	Jonathan Summerton	Ret	11	4	7	17	Ret	12	10	3	13	24	16	6	17	Ret	Ret	2	4	8	1	107
3	Tim Sandtler	15	22	16	16	16	17	Ret	22	19	9	13	9	13	6	11	11	10	15	18	15	104
4	João Urbano	11	9	10	13	12	9	19	24	8	Ret											53
Pos	Driver	HOC1		LAU		OSC		BRH		NOR		NÜR		ZAN		CAT		LMS		HOC2		Pts

	Team	Points
1	ASM Formule 3	197
2	Manor Motorsport	147
3	Signature-Plus	91
4	ASL Mücke Motorsport	69
5	HBR Motorsport	42
6	Jo Zeller Racing	18
7	Bas Leinders Junior Racing Team	16
8	Hitech Racing	11
9	Prema Powerteam	7
10	Fortec Motorsport	2

	Nation	Points
1	Japan	124
2	United States	100
3	Great Britain	90
4	Germany	89
5	Argentina	56
6	France	53
7	Netherlands	38
8	Switzerland	32
9	Monaco	12
10	Brazil	4
11	Portugal	1
12	Australia	1

• Forix.autosport.com
• Formel3guide.com (German language)
• Speedsport Magazine