Did Formula 3 cars enter Formula 2 Races?

[FIA]

Did Formula 3 cars enter Formula 2 Races?

Because Formula 2 Cars entered Formula 1 Races, and I just wondered if Formula 3 Cars entered Formula2 Races (To make up the numbers).

[Rollo]

Up until 1964, F3 ran 500cc engines, then switched to 1L engines. From '64 to '70 they were 1600cc and in 1974 the "current" 2L regs were adopted.

As there has never been a World Formula 3 Championship, the suggestion that they ran in FIA F2 races doesn't seem likely. At domestic level it's a distinct possibility though.

[FIA]

Thanks, good info

[Valve Bounce]

Up until 1964, F3 ran 500cc engines, then switched to 1L engines. From '64 to '70 they were 1600cc and in 1974 the "current" 2L regs were adopted.

As there has never been a World Formula 3 Championship, the suggestion that they ran in FIA F2 races doesn't seem likely. At domestic level it's a distinct possibility though.

In one respect, F3 was a very important formula in that the F3 race at Monaco each year was all important. That was the race where budding drivers could impress important team owners to further their careers, and if I am not mistaken, many famous F1 drivers launched their careers iin the F3 race at Monaco and became successful F1 drivers as a result.

[Vitesse]

Between 1964 and 1966, both F2 and F3 ran to 1.0 litre limits, but the engines in F3 had to be from production models. AFAIK only two races featured both categories running together: the British Eagle Trophy at Brands Hatch (Aug 30th 1965) and the Finnish GP at Keimola (Aug 24th 1966). In 1964 and 1965 the Trophées de France F2 series (French F2 Championship) featured subsidiary races for F3 cars at every round, but these were separate events. This is also true of some other events.

In 1967 the F2 limit was raised to 1600cc: even so, the Finns persisted and F3 cars again raced with the F2s at Keimola on Sep 3rd. This was probably just to make up the numbers as there were only seven F2 starters.

In 1964 you can also find the odd ex-FJ car running with the F2s - Lotus 20s and 22s, Alexis Mk4s, Lola Mk3s etc.

See: http://www.formula2.net

[D-Type]

In the early days of the 2 litre Formula 2 there was the occasional entry of a Cooper-JAP. These weren't F3 cars but the same chassis as the F3 with a twin cylinder 1 litre or 1.1 litre engine. They would sometimes run a car in both F3 and F2 races at the same meeting swapping engines between races.