Formula 3000 Where Legends Earned Their Stripes

As the final rung below Formula 1 on motor racing’s ladder to the top, the International Formula 3000 Championship ran from 1985 to 2004 and nurtured numerous drivers who went on to become future stars. Names like Jean Alesi, Christian Fittipaldi, Juan Pablo Montoya and Nick Heidfeld all became International F3000 champions, while notables who established themselves in team ownership and management included Eddie Jordan, Christian Horner, Helmut Marko and David Sears. Now, in a publishing ‘first’, F3000’s 20-year history is celebrated in book form by a talented first-time author whose meticulous research includes interviews with over 100 key figures from the era, supported by a wealth of colour photography.

• Highly detailed year-by-year coverage of the International F3000 Championship, complete with first-hand recollections from many of those involved.
• Interviewees include 15 of the 20 International F3000 champions, along with paddock veterans who worked as team bosses, engineers, engine suppliers and with manufacturers as designers and sales bigwigs.
• Data presentation includes full results for every season plus statistical ‘league tables’ covering dozens of topics such as drivers with the most wins, podium finishes, pole positions, fastest laps and championship points.
• National championships in Britain, Italy and Japan also receive their own chapters.
• Foreword by David Sears, whose Super Nova Racing team produced four International F3000 champions: Vincenzo Sospiri (1995), Ricardo Zonta (1997), Juan Pablo Montoya (1998) and Sébastien Bourdais (2002).
• Published on the 40th anniversary of F3000’s creation as a new successor ‘feeder’ series based around the 3-litre Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engines that had become redundant in F1’s turbo era.

This book, the first ever published about Formula 3000, fills a significant gap on enthusiasts’ bookshelves

James Newbold spent seven years as a journalist at Autosport, Britain’s authoritative news magazine, indulging his passion for unearthing little-known motorsport stories. Tackling a history of Formula 3000 for his first book was therefore a fitting challenge. His enthusiasm for racing developed at a young age and even led him to leave his university graduation ceremony early to catch the last train to Brussels for the following day’s Spa 24 Hours.