FIA confirms entry list for inaugural F3 season

The FIA has confirmed a 10-team entry list for the inaugural FIA Formula 3 season in 2019, with a number of familiar names from the existing Formula 2 and GP3 platforms set to join the grid.

The GP3 Series will fold at the end of the 2018 season in order to make way for the new international F3 series, completing the FIA ladder of junior formulae from Formula 4 to Formula 1. The championship will remain part of the F1 support package.

After considering a number of expressions of interest, the FIA has now confirmed the entry list for the new season, with 10 teams signed up for the 2019 campaign.

Among these teams include existing GP3 outfits ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Trident, Jenzer Motorsport and MP Motorsport, while F2 operations Carlin, Prema and Charouz Racing will expand to the tertiary series for 2019.

Existing European F3 runner Hitech will also join the FIA series from 2019, as will the new Mercedes-linked HWA Racelab team, which will make its debut in Formula E this December.

"I am pleased to confirm our line-up for the 2019 FIA Formula 3 season, and I would like to welcome these ten teams to this new challenge," FIA Formula 3 CEO Bruno Michel said.

“This championship stems from the merge of the FIA F3 European Championship and the GP3 Series. It is an inherent part of the single-seater pyramid first leading to Formula 2 and then to Formula 1. All FIA Formula 3 race events will run alongside F1.

“We have received a lot of requests from high quality outfits who wished to join our Championship. It has been a complex process to narrow the list down to 10 teams but we believe that they are the strongest candidates. It will be very interesting to see them fight for wins and the title next year.”

The new FIA Formula 3 car will be unveiled at the GP3 season finale in Abu Dhabi, with teams set to get first delivery of the new chassis in January.