An open-wheel car is a car with the wheels outside the car's main body, and usually having only one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars , stock cars , and touring cars , which have their wheels below the body or inside fenders . Open-wheel cars are built both for road racing and oval track racing . Open-wheel cars licensed for use on public roads ( street legal ), such as the Ariel Atom , are uncommon, as they are often impractical for everyday use.
46-469: (Redirected from French Formula Three ) Former Single-Seater Racing Championship French Formula Three Championship Category Single-seaters Country [REDACTED] France Inaugural season 1964 Folded 2002 Last Drivers' champion [REDACTED] Tristan Gommendy Last Teams' champion [REDACTED] ASM Formule 3 The French Formula Three Championship
92-581: A March 722 over the 70-lap course which curved through the French city. Both drivers lapped the field twice. Depailler came in 3rd in an April 1973 Formula Two race at the Nürburgring . He was driving a Ford Alpine. In May 1974 Depailler qualified his March in 1st position in qualifying for the Formula Two Pau Grand Prix. In June he crashed his March 742 through a guard rail during time trials for
138-599: A "wing car" following the 1978 United States Grand Prix West , but the wind tunnel tests proved unsatisfactory. The JS-11 was built and tested in December 1978, with positive results. The V-8 engine was lighter and the Cosworth exhaust system was modified so that it sounded much the same as the old Matra engine's distinctive whine. The new body features of the JS-11 were revealed at the 1979 United States Grand Prix West . Depailler posted
184-440: A Formula One car must weigh at least 798 kilograms (1,759 lb); the minimum weight for NASCAR is 1,500 kilograms (3,200 lb). Open-wheeled racing is among the fastest in the world. Formula One cars can reach speeds in excess of 360 kilometres per hour (220 mph). At Autodromo Nazionale Monza , Antônio Pizzonia of BMW Williams F1 team recorded a top speed of 369.9 kilometres per hour (229.8 mph) (over 102 m/s) in
230-553: A Formula Two race in Salzburgring . Depailler was uninjured but qualifying was stopped so that workmen could replace a section of railing which was torn off in the accident. In April 1976 the Renault sports car team suspended Depailler for three races after he was involved in a crash which knocked out both his car and the Renault of teammate Jean-Pierre Jabouille . The incident occurred on
276-575: A flag-to-flag win at Jarama in the 1979 Spanish Grand Prix . The win enabled him to tie Gilles Villeneuve in the standings for the Formula One world championship at the end of April, with 20 points each. Depailler posted a third position in qualifying for the 1979 Monaco Grand Prix on a staggered grid. Depailler was replaced in June 1979 by Ligier, after breaking both legs in a hang gliding incident on 3 June near his hometown of Clermont-Ferrand. His heel
322-467: A mirror used for a similar purpose on a horse-drawn vehicle in 1904. Prior to World War II , street automobiles generally had wheels that protruded beyond the vehicle's main body, though they were typically covered with mudguards to protect the car body and following traffic from water and mud spray. With the advent of unibody vehicle construction, the desire to maximise interior space, to improve aerodynamics, and aircraft-inspired styling trends of
368-507: A pit stop but managed a 4th-place finish. Depailler came in 2nd to his victorious teammate, Jacques Laffite , in the 1979 Brazilian Grand Prix . Laffite was more than 5 seconds ahead at the end of the race. Depailler made contact with the fence at "Barbecue Bend" in the 1979 South African Grand Prix . Ligier team manager, Gerard Ducarouge, said that the Ligier JS-11 had been in the planning stages for some time. The JS-9 had been tested as
414-570: A protection system to the cockpit called the "halo" , a wishbone-shaped frame aimed to deflect debris away from a driver's head. Despite initial criticism, including for the reason of obstructing the driver's vision, it gained some praise in the Formula 2 sprint race in Catalunya when Nirei Fukuzumi spun and had the back of his car land on fellow countryman Tadasuke Makino 's halo. In the 2018 Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix , McLaren driver Fernando Alonso
460-413: A racecar intended to race at the first Indianapolis 500 , which he went on to win. He developed a revolutionary concept which would become the originator and forefather of the single-seater (i.e. monoposto) racecar design. Harroun has also been credited by some as pioneering the rear-view mirror which appeared on his 1911 Indianapolis 500 winning car, though he himself claimed he got the idea from seeing
506-598: Is different from Wikidata Open wheel car American racecar driver and constructor Ray Harroun was an early pioneer of the concept of a lightweight single-seater, open-wheel "monoposto" racecar. After working as a mechanic in the automotive industry, Harroun began competitive professional racing in 1906, winning the AAA National Championship in 1910. He was then hired by the Marmon Motor Car Company as chief engineer, charged with building
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#1732856209778552-479: The 2004 Italian Grand Prix . Since the end of the V10 era in 2006, such high speeds have not been reached, with later vehicles reaching around 360 kilometres per hour (220 mph). It is difficult to give precise figures for the absolute top speeds of Formula One cars as the data are not generally released by teams. The 'speed traps' on fast circuits such as Monza give a good indication, but are not necessarily located at
598-625: The International Race of Champions event at Riverside International Raceway in September 1978. He was behind the wheel of the Paul Newman entered Spyder -Chevy in the October 1978 California Grand Prix. Tyrrell had given Depailler drives at France and Watkins Glen in 1972. Using one of the older cars, Depailler had finished in seventh place in the latter race. So in December 1973 Depailler
644-529: The Mercedes-Benz W196 racer of 1954–55, which covered the wheels with bodywork for aerodynamic reasons. Modern Formula One regulations mandate the open-wheel configuration. A typical open-wheeler has a minimal cockpit, sufficient only to enclose the driver's body, with the head exposed to the air. In the Whelen Modified Tour and other short track modified series, the driver's head is contained in
690-709: The Monza Circuit the fastest lap in the 2021 Grand Prix ( Daniel Ricciardo 1:24.812) is more than six seconds per lap faster than the fastest closed-wheel racing car, an LMP1 sports car , and more than 20 seconds per lap faster than the DTM touring car lap record. Driving an open-wheel car is substantially different from driving a car with fenders. Virtually all Formula One and IndyCar drivers spend some time in various open-wheel categories before joining either top series. Open-wheel vehicles, due to their light weight, aerodynamic capabilities, and powerful engines, are often considered
736-531: The 36th annual event. It was his first victory in 69 championship races, although he had been 2nd eight times. Depailler switched to the Ligier team for 1979. The team began to field cars with V-8 Ford Cosworth engines, rather than the French-built Matra V-12 engines of 1978. Depailler led the first 10 laps before his engine experienced problems in the 1979 Argentine Grand Prix . He was forced to make
782-691: The United States and Canada, such as Wyoming County International Speedway in New York. The best-attended oval race in the world is the annual Indianapolis 500 (Indy 500) in Speedway, Indiana , sanctioned by IndyCar; in the United States it is quite common to refer to open-wheel cars as IndyCars, because of their recognizable appearance and widespread popularity across America at the Indy 500. Compared to covered-wheel race cars, open-wheeled cars allow more precise placement of
828-452: The United States, some top-level open-wheel events are held on ovals, of both short track and superspeedway variety, with emphasis more on speed and endurance than the maneuverability required for road and street course events. The Whelen Modified Tour is the only opened wheeled race car series endorsed by NASCAR . This series races on most of NASCAR's most famous tracks in the United States. Other asphalt modified series race on short tracks in
874-483: The car onto the road. While many other categories of racing cars produce downforce, the top categories of open-wheel racing cars (particularly Formula One and IndyCar ) produce far more downforce relative to their mass than any other racing category, allowing much higher corner speeds on comparable tracks. However, this is not always the case; some open-wheel categories raced primarily as development or amateur categories, such as Formula Ford or Formula Vee , do not permit
920-514: The car. In modern cars, the engine is often located directly behind the driver and drives the rear wheels; except in asphalt modified cars, such as the Whelen Modified Tour, where the engine is in front of the driver. Depending on the rules of the class, many types of open-wheelers have wings at the front and rear of the vehicle, as well as a very low and virtually flat undertray that helps achieve additional aerodynamic downforce pushing
966-506: The end of the week. He had undergone a number of operations on his legs, but had hopes to attend both autumn North American rounds, at Montreal and the Watkins Glen , as a spectator. In 1980, Depailler joined the newly formed Alfa Romeo team, that was on a comeback trail: Depailler had worked his way back from his hang-gliding accident the previous year, and had equipped his car with special brakes designed to toughen his leg muscles, he
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#17328562097781012-399: The era, by the end of the 1950s the majority of new road-registerable vehicles had wheels that were under the main body of the car, and thus the open-wheel design became almost exclusively associated with racing vehicles. Formula One cars have almost exclusively used the open-wheel design throughout the history of the championship. The only notable exception was the "Monza body" variation of
1058-414: The event. On the first day of qualifying for the 1975 United States Grand Prix , Depailler crashed his Tyrrell into a catch fence at Watkins Glen . He was not injured. Depailler came in 2nd in the 1976 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos . He ended up 2nd to Clay Regazzoni on the 2nd day of qualifying, with a speed of 87.31 mph (140.51 km/h). Depailler gained a 3rd-place finish but drew
1104-492: The fastest racing vehicles available and among the most challenging to master. Wheel-to-wheel contact is dangerous, particularly when the forward edge of one tire contacts the rear of another tire: since the treads are moving in opposite directions (one upward, one downward) at the point of contact, both wheels rapidly decelerate, torquing the chassis of both cars and often causing one or both vehicles to be suddenly and powerfully flung upwards (the rear car tends to pitch forward, and
1150-520: The first corner following the finish. He regained consciousness momentarily. Depailler finished 2nd ahead of Hunt (who nevertheless secured the 1976 Drivers' Championship by finishing third) at the 1976 Japanese Grand Prix , despite encountering tyre problems as the Fuji Speedway track dried from heavy rains. He skidded off the Interlagos track at São Paulo during the 1977 Brazilian Grand Prix . He
1196-598: The front car tends to pitch backward.) An example of this is the 2005 Chicagoland crash of Ryan Briscoe and Alex Barron . The lower weight of an open-wheel racecar enables better performance. While the exposure of the wheels to the airstream causes a very high aerodynamic drag at high speeds, it allows improved cooling of the brakes, which is important on road courses with their frequent changes of pace. In 2018, several single seater series such as Formula One, Formula 2 (with their new Dallara F2 2018 chassis), and Formula E (with their new Spark SRT05e chassis) introduced
1242-710: The front wheels on the race course, as the tires are clearly visible to the driver. This allows the maximum potential of the cars to be achieved during cornering and passing. Furthermore, open-wheeled cars are less tolerant of vehicle-to-vehicle contact, which usually results in vehicle damage and retiring, whereas some level of contact is expected in covered-wheel racing, as for example in NASCAR. Open-wheeled drivers must be extremely precise to avoid contact. Regulations tend to permit much lower open-wheel car weights than in categories that more closely resemble street-legal vehicles, such as sports , touring , and stock cars . For instance,
1288-477: The ire of rival James Hunt , who went out on the 4th lap. Hunt claimed that Depailler forced him off the track and shook his fist at him after his exit from the race. Depailler, who wrestled with brake trouble, claimed that he did not see the English driver in his mirrors. Depailler placed his six-wheeled Tyrrell in 3rd position for the start of the 1976 Monaco Grand Prix . The Tyrrells of Scheckter and Depailler were
1334-430: The last turn of the last lap at Kyalami , to claim the 1978 South African Grand Prix . Depailler's car was running short of fuel, allowing Peterson to erase a 9-second gap to win. Depailler climbed from 12th starting place to end in 3rd position in the 1978 United States Grand Prix West . Depailler gained his first Formula One triumph by winning the 1978 Monaco Grand Prix . Piloting a Tyrrell-Ford 008, Depailler secured
1380-523: The one-lap qualifying record of 241.428 miles per hour (388.541 km/h) at California Speedway . Even on tight non-oval street circuits such as the Grand Prix of Toronto , open-wheel Indy Cars attain speeds of 190 miles per hour (310 km/h). Regardless of top speeds, Formula One open-wheel race cars hold the outright lap record at the circuits where they race due to their combination of top speed, acceleration, and cornering abilities. For example, at
1426-438: The only cars able to stay on the same lap with Lauda's Ferrari , who won from pole position. Depailler was 2nd to Hunt in the 1976 French Grand Prix at Le Castellet . Hunt held off a determined Depailler at Mosport Park in the 1976 Canadian Grand Prix . Both drivers were ill at the conclusion of the event, with Depailler having inhaled fumes over the last third of the race. He lost consciousness after pulling his car off at
French Formula Three Championship - Misplaced Pages Continue
1472-1241: The original on 13 March 2024 . Retrieved 17 November 2024 . v t e French Formula Three Championship seasons 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=French_Formula_Three_Championship&oldid=1257969910 " Categories : French Formula Three Championship 1964 establishments in France 2002 disestablishments in France Recurring sporting events established in 1964 Recurring events disestablished in 2002 Defunct auto racing series Formula Three series Defunct sports competitions in France Hidden categories: CS1 German-language sources (de) Articles with short description Short description
1518-505: The point on the track where the car is travelling at its fastest. BAR Honda team recorded an average top speed of 400 kilometres per hour (250 mph) in 2006 at Bonneville Salt Flats , with unofficial top speed reaching 413 kilometres per hour (257 mph) using their modified BAR 007 Formula One car. Speeds on ovals can range in constant excess of 210–220 miles per hour (340–350 km/h), and at Indianapolis in excess of 230 miles per hour (370 km/h). In 2000, Gil de Ferran set
1564-459: The race behind teammate Jody Scheckter; this proved his only podium of the year. In January 1975 Depailler was given 25–1 odds of becoming the 1975 Formula One World Champion. He finished 5th in the 1975 Argentine Grand Prix in Buenos Aires . He took 3rd at Kyalami in the 1975 South African Grand Prix . Depailler stayed behind 2nd-place finisher, Carlos Reutemann , throughout the 78 laps of
1610-501: The revived Alfa Romeo squad in 1980. In August 1980, Depailler was killed during a private testing session at the Hockenheimring . He achieved two wins, one pole position, four fastest laps and 19 podiums in Formula One. Depailler holds the joint-record for the most podiums before winning a Grand Prix (15). Depailler finished 0.9 seconds behind Peter Gethin in the 1972 Formula Two Pau Grand Prix . He battled Gethin closely in
1656-490: The second turn, slightly more than a mile after the beginning of a 180-mile (290 km) race at the Nürburgring. Depailler lost control and crashed, after which Jabouille also crashed while attempting to avoid his teammate. The drivers had been instructed not to contest the lead with each other. Depailler placed 2nd in the 1976 Swedish Formula One Grand Prix. He was 19 seconds behind winner Jody Scheckter . Depailler drove in
1702-557: The start of the 2020 Bahrain Grand Prix , Romain Grosjean collided with Daniil Kvyat in which his car broke in two and burst into flames as it split the barrier. The halo helped protect Grosjean from possible decapitation while it allowed him to escape from the fire. Patrick Depailler Patrick André Eugène Joseph Depailler ( French pronunciation: [patʁik ɑ̃dʁe øʒɛn ʒozɛf dəpaje] ; 9 August 1944 – 1 August 1980)
1748-769: The use of wings or ground effect aerodynamics. Some major races, such as the Singapore Grand Prix , Monaco Grand Prix (sanctioned by Formula One) and the Long Beach Grand Prix (sanctioned by IndyCar), are held on temporary street circuits . However, most open-wheel races are on dedicated road courses , such as Watkins Glen in the US, Nürburgring in Germany, Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium and Silverstone in Great Britain. In
1794-420: The vehicle overturned and vaulted the barrier. The car skidded along the top of the guard rail for several hundred feet prior to flipping onto its top. A radio-controlled car racing circuit is named in honour of Depailler at his home town. The Mini Circuit Patrick Depailler is one of the oldest tracks in France and was used to host an International Federation of Model Auto Racing (IFMAR) meeting in 1999. As
1840-524: Was a French racing driver , who competed in Formula One from 1972 to 1980 . Depailler won two Formula One Grands Prix across eight seasons. Depailler was born in Clermont-Ferrand , Puy-de-Dôme . As a child, he was inspired by Jean Behra . In Formula One, he joined a Tyrrell team that was beginning a long, slow decline, eventually moving to the erratic Ligier team before finally ending up with
1886-4652: Was a motor racing series for Formula Three cars held in France between 1964 and 2002. The series was merged with the German Formula Three Championship in 2003 to form the Formula 3 Euro Series . Champions [ edit ] Season Driver Team Car 1964 [REDACTED] Henri Grandsire Automobiles Alpine Alpine - Renault A 270 1965 [REDACTED] Jean-Pierre Beltoise Matra Sports Matra - Ford MS5 1966 [REDACTED] Johnny Servoz-Gavin Matra Sports Matra - Ford MS5 1967 [REDACTED] Henri Pescarolo Matra Sports Matra - Ford MS5 1968 [REDACTED] François Cevert Volant Shell Tecno - Ford 68 1969 [REDACTED] François Mazet Volant Shell/ Lotus Components Tecno - Ford 69/ Lotus - Ford 59 1970 [REDACTED] Jean-Pierre Jaussaud Volant Shell/Winfield Tecno - Ford / Martini - Ford MK5 1971 [REDACTED] Patrick Depailler Automobiles Alpine Alpine - Renault A360 1972 [REDACTED] Michel Leclère Automobiles Alpine Alpine - Renault A364 1973 [REDACTED] Jacques Laffite Oreca Martini - Ford MK12 1974–1977 Not held 1978 [REDACTED] Alain Prost Oreca Martini - Renault MK21B [REDACTED] Jean-Louis Schlesser Chevron - Toyota B38 1979 [REDACTED] Alain Prost Oreca Martini - Renault MK27 1980 [REDACTED] Alain Ferté Oreca Martini - Renault MK27/31 1981 [REDACTED] Philippe Streiff Motul Nogaro Martini - Alfa Romeo MK34 1982 [REDACTED] Pierre Petit David Price Racing Ralt - Toyota RT3/ Ralt - VW RT3 1983 [REDACTED] Michel Ferté Oreca Martini - Alfa Romeo MK39 1984 [REDACTED] Olivier Grouillard Oreca Martini - Alfa Romeo MK42 1985 [REDACTED] Pierre-Henri Raphanel Oreca Martini - Alfa Romeo MK45 1986 [REDACTED] Yannick Dalmas Oreca Martini - VW MK49 1987 [REDACTED] Jean Alesi Oreca Martini - Alfa Romeo MK52/ Dallara - Alfa Romeo 386/ Dallara - Alfa Romeo 387 1988 [REDACTED] Érik Comas Oreca Dallara - Alfa Romeo 388 1989 [REDACTED] Jean-Marc Gounon Oreca Reynard - Alfa Romeo 893 1990 [REDACTED] Éric Hélary Formula Project Reynard - Honda 903/ Ralt - Honda RT34 1991 [REDACTED] Christophe Bouchut Graff Racing Ralt - VW RT33 1992 [REDACTED] Franck Lagorce Promatecme Dallara - Opel 392 1993 [REDACTED] Didier Cottaz Formula Project Equipe Dallara - Fiat 393 1994 [REDACTED] Jean-Philippe Belloc Winfield Dallara - Fiat 393 1995 [REDACTED] Laurent Redon Promatecme Dallara - Fiat 394 1996 [REDACTED] Soheil Ayari Graff Racing Dallara - Opel 396 1997 [REDACTED] Patrice Gay Graff Racing Dallara - Opel 396 1998 [REDACTED] David Saelens ASM Formule 3 Dallara - Renault 396 1999 [REDACTED] Sébastien Bourdais La Filiere Martini - Opel MK79 2000 [REDACTED] Jonathan Cochet Signature Dallara - Renault 399 2001 [REDACTED] Ryo Fukuda Saulnier Racing Dallara - Renault 399 2002 [REDACTED] Tristan Gommendy ASM Formule 3 Dallara - Renault 302 Sources: References [ edit ] ^ "Meister Formel 3 Frankreich" [Formula 3 French champion] (in German). Formel 3 Guide . Retrieved 17 November 2024 . ^ Galpin, Darren; Young, Rob; Korzan, Nicolás; Costa, Paulo; Ullrich, Andreas; Jones, Mark Alan (17 November 2024). "Lower category champions – French Formula 3 Championship" . 8W . Forix. Archived from
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1932-548: Was also critically injured. The race team was receiving financial support from the French government, which specified that his replacement also be French; his replacement was the French-speaking Belgian veteran Jacky Ickx . He had been healing well when he fell out of his hospital bed in early August, rebreaking one of the fractures. On 29 August, Depailler said that he was "resigned not to race again until next year", although he expected to leave his Paris hospital by
1978-400: Was chosen with Scheckter to drive for Tyrrell, to replace the deceased François Cevert and retired Jackie Stewart . Depailler captured the pole for the 1974 Swedish Grand Prix , his 9th race as a Formula One driver. He negotiated the 2.49-mile (4.01 km) Anderstorp course in a time of 1 minute, 24.758 seconds, for an average speed of 105.8 miles per hour. Depailler would finish 2nd in
2024-474: Was hospitalized with a leg injury. Depailler qualified in the 6th row, 12th position, for the 1977 United States Grand Prix West . In December 1977 Depailler was promoted to the number one driver for Tyrrell, when Ronnie Peterson left to drive for Lotus . At the same time Tyrrell revealed that it was quitting its experiment with six-wheeled Formula One cars. Depailler was 3rd in the 1978 Argentine Grand Prix in an Elf-Tyrrell. Peterson passed Depailler on
2070-587: Was sent airborne after being hit from behind by the Renault of Nico Hülkenberg and struck the halo of Sauber driver Charles Leclerc , thereby saving the Monegasque driver from a visor strike. In 2019 , the newly-formed FIA Formula 3 Championship introduced a halo to their new chassis which was unveiled at the 2018 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix . In 2020 , the IndyCar Series adopted a halo combined with an aeroscreen, built by Red Bull Advanced Technologies. At
2116-489: Was still driving in pain by the time of his fatal accident and the car was fast (he qualified 3rd for the 1980 United States Grand Prix West ) but not reliable enough to finish. Depailler suffered a fatal accident whilst testing at Hockenheim ten days prior to the 1980 German Grand Prix when a suspension failure pitched his Alfa Romeo 179 into the Armco barrier at the high-speed Ostkurve , inflicting fatal head injuries when
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