Why You Should Be Following the F3 Asian Championship

By aigerim
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Updated: January 21, 2020
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Competitive car racing is not the easiest sport to get into. The differences between the various competitions and the types of races are somewhat opaque to outsiders. That’s a shame, because racing is one of the world’s most exciting, competitive sports, and it’s truly global.

No competition exemplifies this better than the F3 Asia Championship, which is a relative newcomer to the world of racing. Here’s what it is, and why you should follow it.

Formula 3 vs Formula 1

Formula 1 is perhaps the most famous type of competitive racing. Formula 1 cars are the most powerful, fastest race cars in the world. This makes formula 1 racing an incredibly exciting sport to watch, and it’s hugely popular. It also makes it a very difficult sport to compete in.

Many Formula 1 drivers get their start racing in other competitions with less powerful cars, like Formula 2, 3, or E. That way they can gain racing experience in a car that’s easier to handle than the big F1 rigs.

Formula 3 cars are fast, but they’re nowhere near as fast as F1. That may sound like it makes the race less interesting, but there are two big reasons why that isn’t true.

First, while the speed difference between F3 and F1 is huge, these cars are still so fast that the average spectator isn’t really going to notice. F3 cars are still traveling well over 150 miles per hour, so it’s not as if they’re slow enough to be boring.

Second, F3 requires all drivers to use the exact same make and model of car. In Formula 1, each driver is using a car that’s largely customized in ways that they think will give them a competitive edge. In Formula 3, every car is exactly the same, right down to the Giti Tire they use. This means that the only way to win a Formula 3 race is to actually be a better driver than everyone else.

In every other race in the world, you don’t have to be the best driver to win. You could win simply because you have a faster, more powerful, or more aerodynamic car. There are dozens, if not hundreds, of small characteristics in each car that can factor in to whether or not a driver wins when each car is customized. Driving skill still counts for something, but you’ll never really know for sure who the best driver in a race is.

Formula 3 strips all of that away. Each car is the same. The same chassis, the same body, the same engine, the same tires. To win a Formula 3 race, you can’t rely on anything other than pure driving skill.

Up and coming drivers

Because the cars are slower, they’re easier to drive and handle. It’s a much easier place to start a racing career than Formula 1, and much safer too. And, since winning in Formula 3 is entirely dependent on driving ability, it’s an excellent place for drivers to develop their racing skills.

For those reasons, Formula 3 is where many professional drivers get their start. You’ll see a number of incredibly young drivers, many in their teens, driving professionally in F3 races. The best of these will go on to Formula 2 and then to Formula 1, one day. If you start following the best F3 drivers now, you’ll be able to follow their entire careers as they advance in the racing world all the way to the top in Formula 1.

It’s a Unique Racing Competition

F3 features relatively few American and European drivers. There are lots of Australian and Asian drivers, and the entire competition takes place in Asia. Race tracks in Singapore, Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai have all hosted the F3 championship, and you get to see young drivers in unique settings competing in a pure test of skill. You just won’t find that anywhere else.

It Might be the Best Starting Point

Just like F3 is the best starting point for young, professional drivers, it might be the best starting point for new racing fans. The quality of the competition is high, but you won’t feel like an outsider. F3 Asia started in 2018, so there’s not much history for you to catch up on in order to feel in the loop.

Watch one series of races and you’ll be pretty up to date on the sport, even though you’re a new fan. That automatically makes it more interesting for most people. What’s more, you’ll be watching a competition that’s all about the driving skills, not the cars.

You’ll be able to develop a much better appreciation for the individual drivers if you start yourself out on F3 than you would with other competitions, simply because you’ll find it easier to learn and understand how each driver races and what their various strengths and weaknesses are in F3. There won’t be any differences in the cars to mask that.

That, in turn, will make races like Formula 1 more entertaining if and when you decide to follow them in the future. You’ll understand racing better and you’ll be able to follow along better than most new fans would.

It’s a New Sport

There’s something uniquely exciting about following a new sport that hasn’t quite taken off yet. It might be the sense of camaraderie among the fans or just the excitement of following something that most people don’t know about. Either way, it’s more special than watching other races. It’s a thrilling competition in its own right, but the sheer newness of it creates additional excitement.

Conclusion

Whether you’re a lifelong racing fan looking for a new competition to watch, or a brand-new fan who wants to get in to racing, F3 is perfect for you. It’s every bit as exciting to watch as Formula 1 but with the added thrill of watching young drivers pit themselves against each other in a pure skill competition.

Formula 3 Asian Championship