SEPTEMBER 27, 1999

The dust settles in Formula 3000

THE FIA Formula 3000 International Championship came to a close at the Nurburgring with Jason Watt holding off a race-long challenge to beat champion Nick Heidfeld to victory.

THE FIA Formula 3000 International Championship came to a close at the Nurburgring with Jason Watt holding off a race-long challenge to beat champion Nick Heidfeld to victory. It was Watt's second consecutive win and it gives him second place in the championship, having overtaken the late Gonzalo Rodriguez.

The battle to qualify for next year's championship was also settled. Only the top 14 teams can compete next year - the 15th slot going to the winning team in the Italian Formula 3000 championship. The teams which have qualified are as follows: West Competition (McLaren), Super Nova Racing, Petrobras Junior Team (Williams), Astromega (Benetton), GauloisesÊFormulaÊ(Prost), Kid Jensen Racing, ORECA, World Racing Team, Nordic, DAMS, Draco, Fortec, Witmeur TeamÊKTR and European Formula.

The teams which failed to qualify were Red Bull Junior Team (Sauber), Lukoil Arden (Prodrive), Coloni Motorsport, MonacoÊMotorsport, GP Racing and Durango Formula.

Next year we expect to see several of the F3000 teams becoming F1 junior teams with Jordan, Jaguar and BritishÊAmericanÊRacing tipped to run F3000 efforts.