The provisional entry list for the 2020 FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup at Zandvoort on the 4th to 6th September has grown to a healthy 21 car entry, with more interest expected ahead of the 10th August deadline.
The entry for the FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup is split into two categories. Category 1 is for cars of the 1971-1978 period, with 9 Category 1 entries received so far, while Category 2 will see the more recent 1979-1984 racers, with 12 entries to date.
The 2020 FIA Historic F3 European Cup will feature at least eight different manufacturers across the two categories from the golden era of Formula 3. There will be entries from Alba, Brabham, Chevron, Dallara, GRD, March, Martini and Ralt, with the oldest car built in 1974 and the newest in 1984.
This will also be the first opportunity for the historic racers to compete on the revised Formula One circuit layout at Zandvoort, which now features two banked corners while retaining the character of the challenging track in the sand dunes.
So far, entries have been received by many of the leading contenders from the previous two events, including reigning Category 1 Champion Valerio Leone. The Monégasque has decided to swap his March 783 for a Category 2 1982 Alba AR1 for the 2020 race at Zandvoort. Davide Leone also returns and hopes to emulate his father’s success at the 2019 event in his Category 1 1978 March 783.
2018 Category 1 champion Marcel Biehl raced a Category 2 1979 March 793 last year, but the German has decided to switch back to Category 1 and race in his 1977 Ralt RT1 for the 2020 event.
Denmark’s Michael Ringstrom is also a notable entry for the 2020 event, the Dane finishing second overall last year after two strong performances in the Category 2 1984 Martini Mk42.
Another strong contender will be Frederic Rouvier, the French driver finishing third overall in 2018 and taking a second placed finish at Zandvoort in 2019. Rouvier will swap his Category 2 Martini MK34 for a Category 1 1978 March 783 for the 2020 FIA HF3EC.
Italian Manfredo Rossi di Montelera is well known on historic formula grids and will race in the Martini Mk34 that was campaigned by compatriot Emanuele Pirro in 1981.
The oldest car on the grid entered so far will be the 1974 Brabham BT41-Ford driven by French driver David Caussanel, who last competed in the event in 2018 and makes a welcome return this year.
Italian Angela Grasso will, once again, race her 1982 Toyota-Novamotor powered Dallara 382 alongside the March, Martini, Alba and Ralt Category 2 entries.
Formula 3 is a category which has been an important stepping-stone to Formula 1 for the past 70 years. The FIA Historic Formula 3 European Cup is a unique celebration of the category, its cars and history, which will be held at the same circuit where the first round of the European F3 Championship was held in 1978.
The event on the 4-6 September will also feature several other FIA Historic Championships, including the FIA Masters Historic Formula One and the FIA Masters Historic Sports Car Championship.
