Formula 3 unveiled its next generation car that will be used from the 2025 F3 season for three years and it sees significant changes compared to the current machinery.Â?
The Monza weekend was a significant weekend for the Formula 3 championship. Not only was it the championship decider that saw Leonardo Fornaroli clinch the title in the Feature Race, but it marks the unveiling of the 2025 car.
Formula 2 revealed their next generation car last year, which is the current car F2 drivers are racing this season, and now it’s F3’s turn.
F3 revealed the new car that will be used in the junior category for three years from 2025. It marks a new era for Formula 3 with a push for sustainability and inclusivity as well as changes that bring the F3 machinery closer to that of the higher series, F2 and F1.
The 2025 F3 car was unveiled in the F1 paddock over the Monza weekend, following the Sprint Race that saw a maiden rookie winner. The new car will be delivered to the 10 F3 teams in December this year. They will then be able to test and drive the new car in pre-season tests.
But as F3 heads into a new generation, what’s actually different about the new car?
Main changes on the 2025 F3 car
F3 sees 30 drivers, all young F1 hopefuls, compete for the championship with the hope of moving up to F2 and then graduating to F1. This current season has seen quite a few F2 drivers gain an F1 seat and already, an F3 driver has been confirmed for F2 next year, having debuted in Monza.
This is a prime example of what the new car hopes to replicate more of. The design behind the next generation car aims to provide the young drivers the “best opportunity to progress” through the motorsport ladder.
It will consist of a 6-cylinder 3.4-litre Mecachrome engine that will provide 380 horsepower at 8000 rpm. The cockpit has been increased to suit a wider range of driver size from 1.98m > 1.76m > 1.50m.
The Pirelli tyres for F3 will be increased from 13 inches to 16 inches with a natural rubber component. In terms of sustainability, the 2025 F3 car will also use Aramco’s advanced fuel, which meets the FIA’s 100% sustainable fuel standard.
Safety as a primary focus
Safety has also been a key objective of the new car as well as increasing the opportunities for overtaking. Some of these changes include: load strength increase on the rollover structure, increased sidewall load strength and frontal impact load strength of the chassis, and increased energy absorption and oblique impact strength of the nose.
Take a closer look ?#F3 #RoadToF1 @fia pic.twitter.com/ewTXu7ibYp
— Formula 3 (@Formula3) August 31, 2024
Speaking on the safety aspect of the new car, FIA Single-seater Director, Nikolas Tombazis, said in the press conference:
“Definitely one of our primary focuses is, of course, safety and that’s one I’m particularly proud of. We’ve upgraded the safety of all the car in many ways both from a crash structural point of view, from loads that the car sustains, all of that is contributing to another step significant in increasing safety.”
He continued to touch on how the aerodynamics have changed, saying this car is “forming part of a family of cars” and is more in line with the current F2 and F1 cars coming in 2026.
Main objectives of the car
In F3’s statement, CEO Bruno Michel said that this car has “been designed to provide exciting racing, with a lot of overtaking opportunities.
“We have also worked to ensure this new car fits all types of drivers, taking into account the FIA’s requirements regarding the steering effort.
“With this in mind, we have enhanced our car’s driveability and comfort to further ensure the new generation car is more inclusive.”
In the press conference following the reveal, Michel and Tombazis touched on the sustainability of the 2025 car. They both said that along with inclusivity, sustainability was a primary objective.
Tombazis told FormulaNerds that this car is an “important step on sustainability”, but that the FIA are “under no illusions” that the work is complete. He said “we need a lot more on all development” and that “there’s a lot more stuff that needs to happen, not only for the cars, but the whole operation”.
However, Tombazis did make it clear that everyone is “very pleased” with the new generation car and “everyone who’s worked on that has a right to be proud of it.”
When speaking to FormulaNerds, Michel clarified the important of sustainability and inclusivity. The CEO of F3 said:
“I think we were all hoping with the development of this car that it goes in the right direction and as I said,Â? sustainability as the main objective of this car and inclusivity as well is something that’s very very key for the future. So that’s also something we’re very very happy with.”
The 2025 car has been revealed and the 2024 F3 season has come to a close. Teams will be hit the track in the new car early next year and that’s when we really get to see just how improved this next generation car is.
Headline image: X @Formula3