1998 International Formula 3000 Championship

The 1998 International Formula 3000 Championship was the thirty-second season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also fourteenth season under the International Formula 3000 Championship moniker. The championship was contested over twelve rounds from 11 April to 26 September 1998. The Drivers' Championship was won by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya of Super Nova Racing, who won four races.

Several cars racing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya

Drivers and teams

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Team No. Driver Rounds
  Super Nova Racing 1   Juan Pablo Montoya All
2   Boris Derichebourg All
  Den Blå Avis 3   Jason Watt All
4   Gareth Rees All
  Edenbridge Racing 5   Max Wilson All
6   Werner Lupberger All
  DAMS 7   Jamie Davies All
8   Grégoire de Galzain All
  Auto Sport Racing 9   Rui Águas 1
  Dino Morelli 2-5
  Tomáš Enge 8-12
10   Oliver Martini All
  Team Astromega 11   Gastón Mazzacane All
12   Gonzalo Rodríguez All
  Draco Engineering 14   Bruno Junqueira All
15   Giovanni Montanari All
  Nordic Racing 16   Fabrice Walfisch All
17   Brian Smith 1-6
  Kevin McGarrity 7-9
  Hidetoshi Mitsusada 10-12
  Coloni Motorsport 18   Giorgio Vinella 1-7, 9-12
  Rui Águas 8
19   Thomas Biagi 1-2
  Rui Águas 3-6
  Oliver Tichy 7-12
  Durango Formula 20   Bertrand Godin All
21   Soheil Ayari All
  Arden Racing
  KTR
22   Christian Horner All
23   Kurt Mollekens 1-8, 10-12
  Redman & Bright F3000 24   Jonny Kane 1-4
  David Cook 7-9
25   Mark Shaw All
  Bob Salisbury Engineering 26   Dino Morelli None, on entry list only
27   James Taylor None, on entry list only
  Apomatox 28   Stéphane Sarrazin All
29   Marcelo Battistuzzi All
  West Competition 30   Nick Heidfeld All
31   Nicolas Minassian 1-11
  Bas Leinders 12
  RTL Team Oreca 32   Alex Müller All
33   Dominik Schwager All
  Prema Powerteam 34   André Couto All
35   André Gaidzinski None, on entry list only
  Paolo Ruberti 1-6
  Thomas Biagi 7-12
  GP Racing 36   Paolo Ruberti None, on entry list only
  Cyrille Sauvage 1-10
  James Taylor 11-12
  Raceprep Motorsport 37   Kevin McGarrity 1-5
  G. S. Team 38   Fabrizio Gollin All
39   Cyrille Sauvage None, on entry list only
  Elide Racing 40   Polo Villaamil 1, 3
Sources:[1][2]

Calendar

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1998 was the last International F3000 season where races were held independently from Formula One Grands Prix. Pau and Pergusa had held International F3000 and previously European Formula Two Championship races uninterruptedly since 1972.

Round Circuit Date Laps Distance Time Speed Pole Position Fastest Lap Winner Winning Team Report
1   Motorsport Arena Oschersleben 10 April 56 3.667=205.352 km 1'24:52.384 145.171 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Stéphane Sarrazin   Apomatox Report
2   Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari 25 April 42 4.93=207.06 km 1'16:38.513 162.099 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Gonzalo Rodríguez   Jason Watt   Den Blå Avis Report
3   Circuit de Catalunya 9 May 44 4.728=208.032 km 1'12:50.057 171.272 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Nick Heidfeld   Juan Pablo Montoya   Super Nova Racing Report
4   Silverstone Circuit 16 May 40 5.14=205.60 km 1'10:08.886 175.857 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Super Nova Racing Report
5   Circuit de Monaco 23 May 50 3.367=168.35 km 1'18:04.956 129.363 km/h   Jason Watt   Juan Pablo Montoya   Nick Heidfeld   West Competition Report
6   Pau Grand Prix 1 June 75 2.76=207.00 km 1'33:10.179 133.305 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Super Nova Racing Report
7   A1-Ring 25 July 43 4.319=185.717 km 1'11:04.222 175.019 km/h   Soheil Ayari   Soheil Ayari   Soheil Ayari   Durango Formula Report
8   Hockenheimring 1 August 31 6.823=211.513 km 1'12:57.599 173.942 km/h   Nick Heidfeld   Nick Heidfeld   Nick Heidfeld   West Competition Report
9   Budapest 15 August 52 3.972=206.544 km 1'20:14.689 154.435 km/h   Stéphane Sarrazin   Nick Heidfeld   Nick Heidfeld   West Competition Report
10   Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 29 August 29 6.968=202.072 km 1'03:10.530 191.900 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Soheil Ayari   Gonzalo Rodríguez   Team Astromega Report
11   Autodromo di Pergusa 6 September 41 4.95=202.95 km 1'04:29.540 188.813 km/h   Nick Heidfeld   Juan Pablo Montoya   Juan Pablo Montoya   Super Nova Racing Report
12   Nürburgring 26 September 45 4.556=205.02 km 1'12:37.085 169.381 km/h   Juan Pablo Montoya   Gonzalo Rodríguez   Gonzalo Rodríguez   Team Astromega Report
Source:[3]

Season summary

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After winning the 1997 championship with Ricardo Zonta, Super Nova Racing chose to recruit championship runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya to lead their main team, and also expanded their second Den Blå Avis team to two cars by hiring Gareth Rees to partner Jason Watt. Montoya's former team RSM Marko did not compete in 1998, but there were new entries from GT specialists Oreca and the new West Competition team, established as a McLaren junior team and run by former Williams race engineer David Brown.

With seven pole positions, Montoya was the fastest man in the championship all season, but a poor start to the season left him trailing several title rivals. In the event, the championship turned into a duel between the Colombian and newcomer Nick Heidfeld, who remained consistent throughout the season despite his relative inexperience. Watt often matched their pace but made several key mistakes costing him points, while Uruguay's Gonzalo Rodriguez finished the season strongly with two wins in the last three races, becoming the first driver from the South American nation to win a Formula 3000 event.

Montoya led Heidfeld by three points going into the final round at the Nürburgring. However, after qualifying second on the grid, Heidfeld's times were deleted and he was relegated to the back of the grid, only making the race after Brown withdrew his new teammate Bas Leinders from the event. Despite recovering through the field, Heidfeld failed to climb into the top six, and Montoya's third-place finish clinched him the championship. Rodriguez beat Watt to the race win and third place in the standings.

Montoya moved to the North American CART series for 1999 with Chip Ganassi Racing, going on to win the championship as a rookie. He went on to graduate to Formula One with Williams in 2001, and became the only International Formula 3000 champion to win more than one grand prix in his career. The only driver from the field to participate in Formula One in 1999 was Stéphane Sarrazin, who secured a one-off drive in the Brazilian Grand Prix for Minardi in place of the injured Luca Badoer. Most of the leading Formula 3000 drivers instead remained in the series for 1999.

Drivers' Championship

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Tomas Enge placed 22nd in the championship driving for Auto Sport Racing
Pos Driver OSC
 
IML
 
CAT
 
SIL
 
MON
 
PAU
 
A1R
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
SPA
 
PER
 
NÜR
 
Points
1   Juan Pablo Montoya 15 Ret 1 1 6 1 2 3 3 2 1 3 65
2   Nick Heidfeld 2 4 26 2 1 3 7 1 1 4 2 9 58
3   Gonzalo Rodríguez Ret 3 21 Ret 2 Ret 4 11 7 1 Ret 1 33
4   Jason Watt 7 1 7 3 Ret Ret 3 2 10 8 Ret 2 30
5   Soheil Ayari Ret Ret 5 Ret DNQ Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 3 Ret 20
6   Stéphane Sarrazin 1 24 15 24 4 Ret 8 Ret 2 Ret Ret 19 19
7   Kurt Mollekens Ret 2 2 8 5 5 10 Ret DNQ 8 4 19
8   Gareth Rees Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 4 Ret 6 DNS 12 4 Ret 10
9   Max Wilson Ret Ret 6 5 DNPQ 2 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 9
10   Jamie Davies 3 8 13 16 3 Ret Ret 16 15 15 7 14 8
11   André Couto Ret 5 14 Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5 14 9 5 7
12   Boris Derichebourg 11 6 3 12 Ret Ret 15 7 Ret 17 11 Ret 5
13   Nicolas Minassian Ret 19 Ret 7 9 7 5 Ret 4 19 19 5
14   Dominik Schwager 14 11 4 14 10 DNQ Ret 14 18 Ret Ret 7 3
15   Thomas Biagi 4 10 12 10 13 10 Ret 12 3
16   Kevin McGarrity DNQ 14 27 Ret DNQ Ret 4 Ret 3
17   Oliver Martini 16 9 9 Ret DNPQ 10 9 13 6 9 5 Ret 3
18   Bruno Junqueira Ret 16 16 9 Ret Ret 6 5 Ret Ret 18 Ret 3
19   Cyrille Sauvage 5 Ret 11 Ret 15 Ret 13 Ret 8 20 2
20   Alex Müller Ret Ret 10 11 Ret Ret 11 Ret 20 5 20 13 2
21   Gastón Mazzacane 6 7 Ret 6 12 9 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 13 Ret 2
22   Tomáš Enge 15 12 7 Ret 6 1
23   Werner Lupberger Ret 13 12 18 14 Ret 16 8 17 11 6 Ret 1
24   Marcelo Battistuzzi DNQ 22 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 18 Ret 11 6 Ret Ret 1
25   Rui Águas 9 17 17 7 Ret Ret 0
26   Brian Smith 10 Ret Ret 15 11 8 0
27   Giovanni Montanari Ret 15 8 13 13 Ret 14 Ret 19 16 Ret 10 0
28   Dino Morelli Ret 19 10 8 0
29   Bertrand Godin 8 Ret 22 19 Ret DNQ 19 12 14 21 12 11 0
30   Fabrice Walfisch 13 18 20 Ret DNQ DNQ Ret Ret Ret 22 Ret 8 0
31   Oliver Tichy 22 9 9 18 Ret Ret 0
32   Grégoire de Galzain DNQ Ret 18 23 DNPQ DNQ Ret 17 Ret 25 10 16 0
33   Christian Horner Ret 12 Ret Ret 16 DNQ 17 18 Ret DNQ 17 17 0
34   Jonny Kane 12 21 Ret 20 0
35   Fabrizio Gollin DNQ 17 DNQ Ret Ret DNQ 21 DNQ Ret DNQ 14 Ret 0
36   Giorgio Vinella DNQ Ret 25 22 DNQ DNQ Ret 21 DNQ 15 22 0
37   Hidetoshi Mitsusada 23 Ret 15 0
38   Mark Shaw Ret 20 Ret Ret DNPQ DNQ 20 19 16 24 16 18 0
39   Paolo Ruberti DSQ Ret 23 21 18 Ret 0
40   James Taylor 21 21 0
41   Polo Villaamil DNQ 24 0
  David Cook Ret DNQ DNS 0
  Bas Leinders DNS 0
Pos Driver OSC
 
IML
 
CAT
 
SIL
 
MON
 
PAU
 
A1R
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
SPA
 
PER
 
NÜR
 
Points
Sources:[4][5][6]
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Bold – Pole
Italics – Fastest lap

Notes

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Complete Overview

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first column of every race 10 = grid position
second column of every race 10 = race result

R22=retired, but classified R=retired NC=not classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify DIS(3)=disqualified after finishing in third place (16)=place after practice, but grid position not held free

Place Name Team OSC
 
IMO
 
CAT
 
SIL
 
MON
 
PAU
 
OST
 
HOC
 
HUN
 
SPA
 
PER
 
NÜR
 
1   Juan Pablo Montoya SuperNova Racing 1 15 1 R 1 1 1 1 7 6 1 1 2 2 10 3 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 3
2   Nick Heidfeld West Competition Team 2 2 5 4 3 26 2 2 2 1 6 3 13 7 1 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 32 9
3   Gonzalo Rodríguez Team Astromega 5 R 2 3 27 21 9 R26 3 2 2 R 6 4 6 11 11 7 6 1 7 R22 2 1
4   Jason Watt Den Blå Avis 11 7 3 1 11 7 3 3 1 R 5 R 4 3 4 2 10 10 20 8 2 R 3 2
5   Soheil Ayari Durango Formula 4 R 6 R23 2 5 17 R 30 NQ 3 R 1 1 3 R 19 R 3 3 4 3 5 R
6   Stéphane Sarrazin Apomatox 18 1 18 R24 25 15 25 24 4 4 16 R 8 8 5 R 1 2 7 R 18 R 10 19
  Kurt Mollekens KTR/Arden 9 R 4 2 5 2 14 8 8 5 11 5 9 10 11 R - - 31 NQ 15 8 4 4
8   Gareth Rees Den Blå Avis 25 R 15 R 33 R30 4 4 11 R17 8 4 3 R 13 6 20 R 16 12 6 4 20 20
9   Max Wilson Edenbridge Racing 3 NC 7 R 9 6 6 5 33 NQ 7 2 21 R 2 R 17 R 19 13 8 R 23 23
10   Jamie Davies DAMS 27 3 26 8 16 13 19 16 5 3 9 R 14 R 25 16 25 15 13 15 10 7 17 14
11   André Couto Prema Powerteam 10 R 11 5 24 14 20 R 6 R 14 6 18 R 22 R 6 5 15 14 24 9 6 5
12   Boris Derichebourg SuperNova Racing 23 11 8 6 6 3 15 12 18 R 4 R 15 15 21 7 9 R 18 17 22 11 13 R
  Nicolas Minassian West Competition Team 15 NC 16 19 8 R 8 7 16 9 21 7 7 5 7 21 7 4 12 19 17 19 - -
14   Thomas Biagi Coloni Motorsport 20 4 24 10 - - - - - - - -
Prema Powerteam 17 12 18 10 18 13 8 10 5 R 25 12
  Dominik Schwager RTL Team Oreca 7 14 14 11 4 4 16 14 19 10 25 NQ 28 R 14 14 22 18 21 R 27 R 11 7
  Kevin McGarrity Raceprep Motorsport 31 NQ 30 14 35 27 31 R 27 NQ - -
Nordic Racing 33 R 15 4 31 2 - - - - - -
  Bruno Junqueira Draco Engineering 14 R 23 16 26 16 7 9 9 R 12 R 5 6 9 5 14 R 22 R 13 18 8 R
  Oliver Martini Auto Sport Racing 19 R 17 9 12 9 29 R27 34 NQ 20 10 11 9 26 13 5 6 11 9 11 5 9 R
19   Cyrille Sauvage GP Racing 17 5 9 R 15 11 27 R 12 15 10 R 12 13 16 R 8 8 10 20 - - - -
  Gastón Mazzacane Team Astromega 22 6 12 7 22 A28 5 6 22 R 13 9 22 R 24 R 16 R 33 NQ 25 13 7 R
  Alex Müller RTL Team Oreca 13 R 20 R 13 10 13 11 14 R 22 R 13 7 19 11 8 20 23 20 4 5 14 13
22   Marcelo Battistuzzi Apomatox 34 NQ 25 22 30 R 34 R 25 R 27 NQ 29 18 17 R 12 11 9 6 23 R 24 R
  Werner Lupberger Edenbridge Racing 28 R 27 13 10 12 28 18 23 14 18 R 20 16 12 8 24 17 14 11 9 6 21 R
  Tomáš Enge Auto Sport Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23 15 15 12 5 7 16 R 15 6
-   Rui Águas Auto Sport Racing 24 9 - -
Coloni Motorsport 14 17 23 17 10 7 17 R - - 32 R - - - - - - - -
-   Brian Smith Nordic Racing 6 10 10 R 28 R31 12 15 15 11 19 8 - - - - - - - - - - - -
-   Giovanni Montanari Draco Engineering 16 R 29 15 7 8 10 13 21 13 23 R 16 14 19 R 26 19 26 16 26 R 16 10
-   Dino Morelli Auto Sport Racing - - 19 R 21 19 11 10 17 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-   Bertrand Godin Durango Formula 12 8 32 R 20 22 22 19 24 R 24 NQ 26 19 27 12 21 14 24 21 31 12 18 11
-   Fabrice Walfisch Nordic Racing 29 13 31 18 31 20 32 25 28 NQ 31 NQ 24 R 29 R 13 R 27 22 21 R 12 8
-   Oliver Tichy Coloni Motorsport - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 22 20 9 4 9 17 18 20 R 22 R
-   Grégoire de Galzain DAMS 32 NQ 35 R 17 18 35 23 32 NQ 28 NQ 25 R 30 17 28 R 23 25 14 10 28 16
-   Christian Horner KTR/Arden 30 R 22 12 19 R 26 R 26 16 30 NQ 23 17 28 18 32 R 30 NQ 29 17 29 17
-   Jonny Kane Redman & Bright F3000 21 12 13 21 18 R29 18 20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-   Fabrizio Gollin G. S. Team 35 NQ 28 17 36 R 30 R 20 R 29 NQ 30 21 33 NQ 30 R 32 NQ 28 14 26 R
-   Giorgio Vinella Coloni Motorsport 33 NQ 34 R 32 25 33 22 29 NQ 32 NQ 31 R - - 29 21 29 R 30 15 30 22
-   Hidetoshi Mitsusada Coloni Motorsport - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28 23 19 R 19 15
-   Mark Shaw Redman & Bright F3000 26 R 33 20 29 R 21 R 31 NQ 26 NQ 27 20 31 19 27 16 25 24 32 16 27 18
-   Paolo Ruberti Prema Powerteam 8 DIS(3) 21 R 23 23 24 21 13 18 15 R - - - - - - - - - - - -
-   James Taylor GP Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33 21 31 21
-   Polo Villaamil Elide Racing 36 NQ - - 34 24 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-   David Cook Redman & Bright F3000 - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 R 34 NQ 33 NS - - - - - -
-   Bas Leinders West Competition Team - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (16) NS

References

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  1. ^ a b "FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - 1998: Entrylist". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  2. ^ "F3000 International Championship Entry List 1998". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. ^ "F3000 International Championship Results 1998". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  4. ^ "F3000 International Championship Standings 1998". Motorsport Stats. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  5. ^ "FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - Season 1998: Results". Speedsport Magazine. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  6. ^ "1998 FIA International F3000 Championship". Motor Sport. Retrieved 30 December 2023.