The new GB3 Championship season starts this weekend at Silverstone, and the series will have a new feel about it in 2025, with a brand new car, a revised calendar and plenty of other changes to look forward to in the year ahead.
Here’s just some of the things we can’t wait for across the next few months:
The Tatuus MSV GB3-025 makes its race debut
Having completed a comprehensive development and testing programme across circuits in Italy and Spain in the two months before Christmas, and then thousands of miles with teams in pre-season, the Tatuus MSV GB3-025 will be a hugely exciting addition to the GB3 Championship, and in the hands of Hillspeed's Freddie Slater, lapped Silverstone a full second quicker than the lap record in testing last month.
The F1-inspired new machine is built to meet latest FIA safety regulations, but benefits from a big increase in downforce and has an extra 30 horsepower compared to the Tatuus MSV-022. In addition, the inclusion of DRS for the first time will add an extra spice to the racing, while wider Pirelli tyres add further grip for the drivers.
Click here for more information about the 2025 car.
DRS adds to new car challenge
GB3 adds the Drag Reduction System to its new car for 2025, with attacking drivers now able to use the device to increase their overtaking chances.
Like in Formula One, drivers will have free use of the DRS in qualifying, when travelling through permitted DRS zones around the circuit. In races, drivers must be within a second of the driver in front when passing through a detection point, to be able to open the rear wing through the DRS zone which follows.
The DRS will not be usable during the first lap of each race, immediately after a safety car period, or if Race Control deems conditions are not suitable for its use (for example, in poor weather or visibility).
DRS zones at Silverstone this weekend will be down the Hangar Straight and Wellington Straight, with detection points at Maggotts and Village respectively.
New teams and drivers join the established ranks
10 teams will compete in the 2025 GB3 Championship, as Argenti with Prema and Xcel Motorsport join eight teams benefiting from prior GB3 experience. Rodin Motorsport, Hitech Pulse-Eight and JHR Developments have all won titles in the GB3 era, but all other teams have won races in that time, and the arrival of the new car should open things up even more.
On the driver front, GB3 race-winners Nikita Johnson and Will Macintyre have championship aspirations with Hitech Pulse-Eight and Elite Motorsport respectively, while Xcel's Patrick Heuzenroeder has been hugely impressive in pre-season testing ahead of his series return.
British F4 champion Deagen Fairclough (Hitech), plus F4 runner-ups Alex Ninovic (Rodin) and Keanu Al Azhari (Hitech) will surely be among the contenders challenging for this year’s title, while Hillspeed's Freddie Slater should be right up there too during his selected appearances.
F1 Academy champion Abbi Pulling is an exciting addition to Rodin’s GB3 roster, while her series rival Bianca Bustamante has made the step up also, joining Elite Motorsport, and the grid also features two Mercedes F1 junior in the form of Yuanpu Cui, who joins the Argenti with Prema alliance alongside Reza Seewooruthun, and Rashid Al Dhaheri at Chris Dittmann Racing.
Several further driver announcements are expected during the week - look out for news on the official GB3 Championship website and social media feeds, and the event preview and entry list later in the week.
Click here to see the teams and drivers already confirmed ahead of this weekend's season opener.
Monza joins the calendar
GB3’s continental appeal grows further in 2025, with the inclusion of Monza for the first time. Of GB3’s eight race weekends, six will be held on contemporary F1 layouts, with Zandvoort, Spa-Francorchamps, the Hungaroring and the customary double Silverstone visit remaining a key part of the calendar. Monza has the honour of hosing the GB3 season finale in 2025, with the champion set to be crowned in the middle of October.
Click here to see the 2025 calendar.
Revised race weekend format
If that wasn’t enough, a change to race weekend format has been confirmed too! Qualifying is now set to be a two-part session, with each segment forming individual grids. The first 15 minutes will determine the starting order for race one, and once the session ends, there will be a five minute break, during which all cars must return to the pits.
The second session, also of 15 minutes duration, will form the race two grid, while the race three grid format remains unchanged, again featuring a top-12 reversal of the fastest qualifying times.
Race duration has also been modified, with all three races now stretching to 25 minutes each.