The F3 Asian Championship has announced a compact calendar for its third season in 2020, one which will enable drivers to bank Super License points ahead of the start of the racing seasons in Europe and Japan.
The efficient, cost-effective calendar, held across four FIA Grade 1 circuits, kicks off on December 14-15 at Malaysia’s Sepang International Circuit. Making its debut in the Middle East, Thursday to Saturday back-to-back triple-headers follow at the Dubai Autodrome in support of the Dubai 24 Hours on January 10-11, and at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi on January 17-18.
Returning to Asia and to the Sepang track on Saturday, February 15, the 2020 season concludes at Thailand’s Buriram International Circuit on February 23. Both final rounds will run alongside the Asian Le Mans Series.
Commented championship organizer Davide De Gobbi, General Manager of Top Speed, a driving force in Asian motorsport development: “The 2020 F3 Asian Championship calendar is designed specifically to meet the needs of the drivers, who are looking to develop their careers as quickly as possible, as well as for the teams. With zero compromise on the quality of the championship, we have minimized costs and travel time, maximized track time, and enabled drivers to earn Super Licence points from the championship even before the start of the traditional European and Japanese seasons.”
The provisional calendar is subject to ratification by the FIA single-seater commission.
The championship provides a high-profile platform for drivers, with live streaming of all races on Facebook and YouTube as well as across several Chinese online platforms such as Youku, Huya and Douyu ensuring they reach a massive Asian audience. In addition, coverage in traditional media includes Guangdong TV news and the region’s major automotive media expands that audience yet further.
Among the drivers who have enjoyed the benefits of a heightened profile in Asia, and the resulting manufacturer attention, include Estonian Martin Rump, now an official Audi Sport Asia driver, and New Zealander Brendon Leitch, who is contesting the F3 Asian Championship this year and was recently named a Lamborghini Squadra Corse Junior Driver. Notable international names who began their careers in Asian junior single seaters include Daniel Ricciardo and two-time Le Mans 24 Hour winner Earl Bamber.
The single-chassis, single-engine F3 Asian Championship certified by FIA was an immediate success on its launch at the start of 2018, as it pioneered the FIA’s new driver development vision. The international nature of the field gives drivers a realistic global benchmark against which to measure their progress, and all drivers compete in the same Tatuus F3 T-318 race car, thus ensuring success is dictated by driver skill rather than budget. The championship is strictly policed and run by an English-speaking experienced international team of scrutineers, race officials and stewards.
2020 F3 ASIAN CHAMPIONSHIP CERTIFIED BY FIA PROVISIONAL CALENDAR
|
Date |
Venue |
Event |
|
December 14-15 |
Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia |
Round 1 (Races 1-3) |
|
January 10-11 |
Dubai Autodrome, UAE |
Round 2 (Races 4-6) |
|
January 17-18 |
Yas Marina Circuit |
Round 3 (Races 7-9) |
|
February 14-15 |
Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia |
Round 4 (Races 10-12) |
|
February 22-23 |
Buriram International Circuit, Thailand |
Round 5 (Races 13-15 |
