FORMULA  3 STORY by Seppo Pitkanen

Updated 15.03.2000

Formula 3 is usually regarded as a second hand class for young and hungry drivers, but actually it has over  50 years of colorful history and it has  seen many new generations hoping to leave their own footmarks in one of the  worlds most competitive racing classes. Competing in this international class is almost today the only way to gain the ultimate goal, Formula One class and glorious World Championship.

The term Formula 3 was born in south England near Bristol soon after the second world war, when people wanted and needed a small, simple and cheap single seater racing car. New class made it less expensive and otherways easier for young drivers to enter the sport. Later a group of British racing enthusiasts formed the 500 Club (later BRSCC) with John Cooper as one of the founder members. The group built in Surrey a very small monoposto with a  500 cc and 45 horse power one cylinder motorcycle racing engine mounted behind the driver. The english JAP speedway engine was aircooled and it offered an excellent power-weight ratio.The weigth of car was just a bit over 200 kg. Top speed was around 160-180 km/h.

Cooper was not the first F 3 make, but definitely the most successful.

The first Cooper car was built in the family garage of Charles Cooper in Surbiton, Surrey.  It  did use Fiat suspension componets and a solid rear axle by chain trough a motorcycle clutch and gearbox. The car driven by son John Cooper was unsuccessful at the first race in Prescott Hill, but a week later Cooper junior won his class at the Brighton Speed trials. Everyone was surprised.

Replica

A second car, similar to the prototype, was built for Johns school friend Eric Brandon and interest was aroused to the extent that orders for 12 more cars were received. However, before these could be completed, a further dozen had been ordered. Space allocated to racing car construction encroached more and more upon the garage. And the staff, which numbered three in 1947, grew steadily to tents.

The price of the first Mark I Cooper was excactly 500 pounds and driving cost were low too. The first JAP engine was almost unbeatable and wery reliable when properly prepared. It was very cheap and was largely cooled by its methanol fuel. Best of all, maximum torque was at 3500 rpm, so the little car was easy to drive. JAP boss Teddy Prestwich from Tottenham was very proud oh his engine, of course.

In 1947 racing in Britain was confined mainly to hill climbs and speed trials, although an airfield race aws held at Gransden Lodge, where Eric Brandon won the 500 cc class. This same driver scored  wins at Shelsley, Prescott, Poole and Southsea. John Cooper also was successful in many continental races. He won tree times F 3 class in Rouen and took gold from Monza and Avus.

In 1950 only a minimum ground clearance of 10 cm was compulsory for these poor mans mini size rockets.

Serious Work

The Cooper cars were now in serious production and for 1951 a new stiffer, lighter chassis was designed, using tubes in addition to box-section side members. Coopers own rack and pinion steering was fitted, and frontal area reduced. These changes were needed, for competition from ancien client Stirling Moss (Kieft) was intense.

A further development of  the 500 cc car was seen in 1952. For the first time an all-tubular, arcwelded frame was used, to increase rigidity ande reduce weight. There was an extended use of magnesium alloy castings. This material being employed for the final drive chain sprocket and its housing, rear hub carriers and brake back plates, as well as the integral wheels and brake drums. The net result was a saving of 10 % of weight. Lower rate springs were fitted to improve road holding.

In fifties the number one engine was the double over head camshaft Norton Manx.

Formula 3 class was adopted by the FIA in 1950 and it  received succes even on the continent. In Scandinavia the cars were called even "midgets". The name was  loaned from US dirt tracks

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New industry

The new popular class was the corner stone of the british racing car industry. Most famous and successful manufacturer was the Cooper-factory in Surbiton. Father and son Cooper built almost three hundred 500 cc racing cars with Norton or Jap-engines. The speed and roadholding ability of these little cars was quite astonishing. The class was completely dominated by the Cooper Norton in many years.

 The independent suspension all round was by transverse leaf springs and wishbones. In the late fifties some of these cars were fitted with a rear disc brake mounted with the driving sprocket. There was experiments with fibre glass body to reduce the weight of cars. Fuel injection was coming too.

Seppo "Kessu" Nieminen (left) and his swedish Effyh Jap Migdet car from the fifties.

More Makes

Another big  british make was Kieft and its Swedish copy Effyh. Håkansson brothers Folke and Yngve built in Malmö about 60 Effyh cars and about 30 was exported to USA. The first Ralt Mark I was produced in Australia already in 1948. Father of the car was the same famous Ron Tauranac we know better from other bigger racing classes. In same time made a group of finnish drivers and mechanics the first nordic Formula 3 car, the KG Special (=Kronqvist-Geitel). The first KG Special car was powered by german ILO-engine.

In Sweden Ronnie Petersons father produced the first Swebe Formula 3-car in late 40s too. Bengt Peterson drove the new car himself. Later he produced for Ronnie successful Formula Kart-cars. Make was Robardie.

Bigger Classes

After that experience Cooper moved on to more powerful classes - even to Formula 1. Australian Black-Jack Brabham won World championships 1959-1960 with Cooper Climax-cars.

Many of the british Formula 1 stars rise to the fame through the Formula 3-class. Stirling Moss -the best ever driver without WC-title,  fast dentist Tony Brooks,  the late Peter Collins and Graham Hill  took their first steps in this little big class. Big boss in Formula 1, Ken Tyrrell also drove self a 500 cc Cooper Norton in midfifties. After that experience many Cooper Formula 2 and Formula Junior cars were supplied to Tyrrell Team.

Continental races

The brits invented Formula 3-class was very popular even in continental and scandinavian countries. Many new makes were manufactured in Italy, Germany, Sweden, Denmark and Finland. First big race was held in Monaco 1950 and the honorable winner was Stirling Moss, who else.

Absolutely the best nordic Formula 3 driver in the fifties was Curt Lincoln from Espoo, Finland. He was a purely amateur sportsman driver and drove usually Cooper Norton cars. Later he change to Formula Junior and the new bigger Formula 3-class with many race succes in Sweden, Denmark and Continental countrys. Lincoln was a big local hero of  Eläintarhanajot-races in Helsinki. Later this succesful businessman built the first permanent racing circuit in Finland at Keimola not so far from Helsinki. Economicly the new track was disaster, but allways the important start. Nowdays excist in Finland five permanent racing tracks and more will be coming.

The most remembered car makes of the first Formula 3 class: Alfa Dana (DK), Andree (US), Arnott (GB),  Atlas (D), Beart (GB), CB 2 (GB), Cooper (GB), Deutsch Bonnet (F), Echo (US), Effyh (S),  EGS (GB), Elhoo (FIN),  Emeryson (GB), Flather Steel (GB), Grose (GB), Hawk (GB), Helio (D), Hells Hammer (GB), Hill (GB), Iota (GB), JBS (GB), JP (GB), Kieft (GB), Lehmann (D), Leston Spl (GB), LTE Brillant (D), Martin Headland (GB), Mezzolitre (GB), MH (D),  Monopoletta (D),  OK (D), Racer 500 (F), Revis (GB), Scampolo (D), Simca Surva (F), Smith (GB), Staride (GB), Strang (GB), Suecia (S), Swebe (S), Tiger Kitten (GB), Wasp (GB), WGW (D), WR (D).

British (GB) Half Litre Cream

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