The GB3 Championship has announced it will introduce a new car for 2025 which will bring more performance and the use of a Drag Reduction System (DRS) for the first time.
The Tatuus MSV GB3-025 will provide an estimated 35% increase in downforce to its predecessor, and it will use an upgraded Mountune engine producing an extra 30bhp. The new machine is expected to significantly reduce lap times as the series aims to bring itself closer to the performance levels seen in FIA Formula 3.
The car will feature a heavily-revised aerodynamic package, which will include a new front wing and endplate assembly, powerful underbody aerodynamics and CFD optimised aero surfaces and rim fairings, all designed to work in harmony with the DRS overtaking aid on the rear-wing. A CFD-optimised cooling package and an improved braking system are among the other aerodynamics improvements.
A new titanium halo will be fitted, bringing increased strength and reduced weight. The series will also switch to wider Pirelli rubber next season, with the front tyres to increase from eight to 10 inches and and the rear tyres to be moved from 10 inches to 12.
“GB3 is already well-established as one of Europe’s leading F1 feeder series, with our recent graduates excelling in the world’s top categories, “said GB3 promoter MotorSport Vision’s Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Palmer. “Our 2021 champion Zak O’Sullivan was runner-up in FIA F3 last year and won the F2 feature race at Monaco, whilst 2022 GB3 champion Luke Browning is already a race winner in FIA F3, lying second in the standings.
“Both drivers went on to secure the prestigious Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Award after their GB3 success and become members of the Williams F1 Driver Academy. It is tremendously exciting seeing our young drivers progressing towards F1 and I have no doubt top GB3 talent is going to be in F1 in the next few years.
“F1 is more of a meritocracy than it has ever been, which is brilliant, and we at MSV, Tatuus and Mountune have used all of our collective expertise, in collaboration with our great existing teams, to make another big step forward in our determination for GB3 to be the series that has all the bases covered better than any other at this level: high performance, great equality, the highest safety standards and outstanding value. And critically that means that FIA F3, F2 and then F1 teams will look to GB3’s front runners as potential F1 talent to try and sign.”
The new car will be the fourth that Tatuus has produced for the series in its various guises over the past decade. The Italian manufacturer provided an F4 chassis in 2014 when MSV first ran the championship as BRDC British F4, and the car was upgraded in 2017 when the series changed its name to BRDC British F3.
Shortly after the FIA-enforced rebranding of the series to GB3 halfway through the 2021 season, a heavily-upgraded and halo-shod Tatuus MSV GB3-022 chassis was unveiled for the following year, and grids have grown since its introduction.