1999 British Formula Three season

The 1999 British Formula Three season was the 49th British Formula Three Championship season. It commenced on 21 March, and ended on 17 October after sixteen races. Marc Hynes was the champion, although the season is best remembered for 19-year-old future F1 champion Jenson Button marking himself out as one to watch. Martin O'Connell took the spoils in Class B.

Drivers and teams
The following teams and drivers were competitors in the 1999 season. Class B is for older Formula Three cars.


 * Entries 20-30 were regular entrants in other European Formula Three Championships, and only competed at the round at Spa-Francorchamps. They were eligible to score points.

Driver changes

 * Changed Teams
 * Michael Bentwood: Speedsport → Carlin Motorsport
 * Warren Carway: Rowan Racing → SpeedSport F3
 * Marc Hynes: Promatecme UK → Manor Motorsport
 * Tiago Monteiro: Signature Team → ASM Fina
 * Peter Sundberg Venturini Racing → Prema Powerteam


 * Entering/Re-Entering British Formula Three
 * Julien Beltoise: Championnat de France Formule Renault & Formula Renault Europe (Mygale) → Fortec Motorsport
 * John Bender: British Formula Renault Winter Championship (Manor Motorsport) → Carlin Motorsport
 * Jenson Button: British Formula Ford Championship (Haywood Racing) → Promatecme UK
 * Doug Bell: British Formula Renault Championship & Formula Renault Europe (Manor Motorsport) → S.S. Sport
 * Aluizio Coelho: British Formula Renault Championship (Manor Motorsport) → Promatecme UK
 * Matthew Davies: Championnat de France Formule Renault & Formula Renault Europe (Mygale) → ASM Fina
 * Nick Eliades: Debut → SpeedSport F3
 * Patrick Friesacher: Formula Renault Campus France → Opel Team BSR
 * Charles Hall: Sabbatical → Rowan Racing
 * Gavin Jones: British Formula Renault Championship (Haywood/Eiger) → Rowan Racing
 * Andrew Kirkaldy: Formula Opel Europe → Paul Stewart Racing
 * Walter van Lent: Formula Ford Zetec Benelux → JB Motorsport
 * Juan Manuel López: Sabbatical → Prema Powerteam
 * Yves Olivier: German Formula Three Championship (JB Motorsport) → JB Motorsport
 * Giorgio Pantano: Karting → Target Racing
 * Toby Scheckter: Formula Opel Europe → SpeedSport F3
 * Takuma Sato: All-Japan Formula Three Championship (Dome Project) → Diamond Racing
 * Stephen Shanly: Debut → Rowan Racing
 * Jeremy Smith: Debut → Jeremy Smith Racing
 * Tor Sriachavanon: British Formula Renault Championship (Manor Motorsport) → Manor Motorsport
 * Gabriele Varano: Sabbatical → RC Motorsport


 * Leaving British Formula Three
 * Enrique Bernoldi: Promatecme UK → International Formula 3000 (Red Bull Junior/RSM Marko)
 * Mark Boost: Speedsport → British Formula Renault Championship (Haywood)
 * Sébastien Bourdais: La Filière → French Formula Three Championship (La Filière)
 * Ben Collins: Intersport Racing → Indy Lights (Johansson Motorsports)
 * David Cook: DC Cook Motorsport → Retirement
 * Paula Cook: DC Cook Motorsport → British Touring Car Championship (DC Cook Motorsport)
 * Marcel Fässler: La Filière → German Formula Three Championship (Bemani F3 Team)
 * Gabriele Gardel: Team Ghinzani → German Formula Three Championship (KMS Benetton Junior Team)
 * Mario Haberfeld: Paul Stewart Racing → International Formula 3000 (West Competition)
 * Steve Hayr: Tarry Falcon Racing → Retirement
 * Warren Hughes: Portman Arrows Racing → MGF Cup
 * Mike Kirkham: Speedsport → Retirement
 * Darren Manning: Speedsport → All-Japan Formula Three Championship (TOM'S)
 * Ricardo Mauricio: Alan Docking Racing → International Formula 3000 (Super Nova Racing)
 * Lei Kit Meng: Carlin Motorsport → Sabbatical
 * Andrej Pavicevic: Fortec Motorsport → International Formula 3000 (Fortec Motorsport)
 * Mikael Santavirta: Alan Docking Racing → Sabbatical
 * Philip Scifleet: Rowan Racing → Sabbatical
 * Topi Serjala: Portman Arrows Racing → Formula Palmer Audi
 * Jamie Spence: Martin Donnelly Racing → Euro Open MoviStar by Nissan (Glückmann Racing)
 * Benoît Tréluyer: Signature → French Formula Three Championship (Signature)
 * Stephen White: Tarry Falcon Racing → Sabbatical
 * Adam Wilcox: TOM'S → Formula Palmer Audi

Results

 * Round 9 was held as part of the British Grand Prix weekend, and was thus held on a Saturday

Class B

 * Points System: 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 for first 10 finishers, with 1 point awarded for fastest lap.