1998 International Formula 3000 Championship

Motor racing competition December 2025 International Formula 3000 Championship FIA International Formula 3000 Championship 1998 Drivers' Champion: Juan Pablo Montoya Teams' Champion: Super Nova Racing Parent series:Formula OneSupport series:Porsche Supercup The 1998 International Formula 3000 Championship was the thirty-second season of the second-tier of Formula One feeder championship and also fourteenth season under the International Formula 3000 Championship moniker. The championship was contested over twelve rounds from 11 April to 26 September 1998. thumb|right|The Drivers' Championship was won by Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya (pictured in 2001), of Super Nova Racing, who won four races Drivers and teams TeamNo. Car numberDriverRounds GBR Super Nova Racing 1 COL Juan Pablo MontoyaAll 2 FRA Boris DerichebourgAll DNK Den Blå Avis 3 DNK Jason WattAll 4 GBR Gareth ReesAll GBR Edenbridge Racing 5 BRA Max WilsonAll 6 ZAF Werner LupbergerAll FRA DAMS 7 GBR Jamie DaviesAll 8 FRA Grégoire de GalzainAll ITA Auto Sport Racing 9 PRT Rui Águas1 GBR Dino Morelli2-5 CZE Tomáš Enge8-12 10 ITA Oliver MartiniAll BEL Team Astromega 11 ARG Gastón MazzacaneAll 12 URY Gonzalo RodríguezAll ITA Draco Engineering 14 BRA Bruno JunqueiraAll 15 ITA Giovanni MontanariAll GBR Nordic Racing 16 FRA Fabrice WalfischAll 17 ARG Brian Smith1-6 GBR Kevin McGarrity7-9 JPN Hidetoshi Mitsusada10-12 ITA Coloni Motorsport 18 ITA Giorgio Vinella1-7, 9-12 PRT Rui Águas8 19 ITA Thomas Biagi1-2 PRT Rui Águas3-6 AUT Oliver Tichy7-12 ITA Durango Formula 20 CAN Bertrand GodinAll 21 FRA Soheil AyariAll GBR Arden Racing BEL KTR 22 GBR Christian HornerAll 23 BEL Kurt Mollekens1-8, 10-12 GBR Redman & Bright F3000 24 GBR Jonny Kane1-4 GBR David Cook7-9 25 GBR Mark ShawAll GBR Bob Salisbury Engineering 26 GBR Dino MorelliNone, on entry list only 27 GBR James TaylorNone, on entry list only FRA Apomatox 28 FRA Stéphane SarrazinAll 29 BRA Marcelo BattistuzziAll GBR West Competition 30 DEU Nick HeidfeldAll 31 FRA Nicolas Minassian1-11 BEL Bas Leinders12 FRA RTL Team Oreca 32 DEU Alex MüllerAll 33 DEU Dominik SchwagerAll ITA Prema Powerteam 34 PRT André CoutoAll 35 BRA André GaidzinskiNone, on entry list only ITA Paolo Ruberti1-6 ITA Thomas Biagi7-12 ITA GP Racing 36 ITA Paolo RubertiNone, on entry list only FRA Cyrille Sauvage1-10 GBR James Taylor11-12 GBR Raceprep Motorsport 37 GBR Kevin McGarrity1-5 ITA G. S. Team 38 ITA Fabrizio GollinAll 39 FRA Cyrille SauvageNone, on entry list only ESP Elide Racing 40 ESP Polo Villaamil1, 3Sources:FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - 1998: Entrylist https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level2/gp2-series-formula-3000/1998-entrylist.html Speedsport Magazine 30 December 2023F3000 International Championship Entry List 1998 https://motorsportstats.com/series/f3000-international-championship/summary/1998 Motorsport Stats 30 December 2023 Calendar 1998 was the last International F3000 season where races were held independently from Formula One Grands Prix. Pau and Pergusa had held International F3000 and previously European Formula Two Championship races uninterruptedly since 1972. Round Circuit Date Laps Distance Time Speed Pole position Fastest lap Winner Winning team Report 1 DEU Motorsport Arena Oschersleben 10 April 56 3.667=205.352 km 1'24:52.384 145.171 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya FRA Stéphane Sarrazin FRA Apomatox Report 2 ITA Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari 25 April 42 4.93=207.06 km 1'16:38.513 162.099 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya URY Gonzalo Rodríguez DNK Jason Watt DNK Den Blå Avis Report 3 ESP Circuit de Catalunya 9 May 44 4.728=208.032 km 1'12:50.057 171.272 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya DEU Nick Heidfeld COL Juan Pablo Montoya GBR Super Nova Racing Report 4 GBR Silverstone Circuit 16 May 40 5.14=205.60 km 1'10:08.886 175.857 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya GBR Super Nova Racing Report 5 MCO Circuit de Monaco 23 May 50 3.367=168.35 km 1'18:04.956 129.363 km/h DNK Jason Watt COL Juan Pablo Montoya DEU Nick Heidfeld GBR West Competition Report 6 FRA Pau Grand Prix 1 June 75 2.76=207.00 km 1'33:10.179 133.305 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya GBR Super Nova Racing Report 7 AUT A1-Ring 25 July 43 4.319=185.717 km 1'11:04.222 175.019 km/h FRA Soheil Ayari FRA Soheil Ayari FRA Soheil Ayari ITA Durango Formula Report 8 DEU Hockenheimring 1 August 31 6.823=211.513 km 1'12:57.599 173.942 km/h DEU Nick Heidfeld DEU Nick Heidfeld DEU Nick Heidfeld GBR West Competition Report 9 HUN Budapest 15 August 52 3.972=206.544 km 1'20:14.689 154.435 km/h FRA Stéphane Sarrazin DEU Nick Heidfeld DEU Nick Heidfeld GBR West Competition Report 10 BEL Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps 29 August 29 6.968=202.072 km 1'03:10.530 191.900 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya FRA Soheil Ayari URY Gonzalo Rodríguez BEL Team Astromega Report 11 ITA Autodromo di Pergusa 6 September 41 4.95=202.95 km 1'04:29.540 188.813 km/h DEU Nick Heidfeld COL Juan Pablo Montoya COL Juan Pablo Montoya GBR Super Nova Racing Report 12 DEU Nürburgring 26 September 45 4.556=205.02 km 1'12:37.085 169.381 km/h COL Juan Pablo Montoya URY Gonzalo Rodríguez URY Gonzalo Rodríguez BEL Team Astromega ReportSource:F3000 International Championship Results 1998 https://motorsportstats.com/series/f3000-international-championship/results/1998 Motorsport Stats 30 December 2023 Season summary After winning the 1997 championship with Ricardo Zonta, Super Nova Racing chose to recruit championship runner-up Juan Pablo Montoya to lead their main team, and also expanded their second Den Blå Avis team to two cars by hiring Gareth Rees to partner Jason Watt. Montoya's former team RSM Marko did not compete in 1998, but there were new entries from GT specialists Oreca and the new West Competition team, established as a McLaren junior team and run by former Williams race engineer David Brown. With seven pole positions, Montoya was the fastest man in the championship all season, but a poor start to the season left him trailing several title rivals. In the event, the championship turned into a duel between the Colombian and newcomer Nick Heidfeld, who remained consistent throughout the season despite his relative inexperience. Watt often matched their pace but made several key mistakes costing him points, while Uruguay's Gonzalo Rodriguez finished the season strongly with two wins in the last three races, becoming the first driver from the South American nation to win a Formula 3000 event. Montoya led Heidfeld by three points going into the final round at the Nürburgring. However, after qualifying second on the grid, Heidfeld's times were deleted and he was relegated to the back of the grid, only making the race after Brown withdrew his new teammate Bas Leinders from the event. Despite recovering through the field, Heidfeld failed to climb into the top six, and Montoya's third-place finish clinched him the championship. Rodriguez beat Watt to the race win and third place in the standings. Montoya moved to the North American CART series for 1999 with Chip Ganassi Racing, going on to win the championship as a rookie. He went on to graduate to Formula One with Williams in 2001, and became the only International Formula 3000 champion to win more than one grand prix in his career. The only driver from the field to participate in Formula One in 1999 was Stéphane Sarrazin, who secured a one-off drive in the Brazilian Grand Prix for Minardi in place of the injured Luca Badoer. Most of the leading Formula 3000 drivers instead remained in the series for 1999. Drivers' Championship thumb|Tomas Enge placed 22nd in the championship driving for Auto Sport Racing Pos Driver OSCDEU IMLITA CATESP SILGBR MONMCO PAUFRA A1RAUT HOCDEU HUNHUN SPABEL PERITA NÜRDEU Points 1 COL Juan Pablo Montoya 15 Ret 1 1 6 1 2 3 3 2 1 3 65 2 DEU Nick Heidfeld 2 4 26 2 1 3 7 1 1 4 2 9 58 3 URY Gonzalo Rodríguez Ret 3 21 Ret 2 Ret 4 11 7 1 Ret 1 33 4 DNK Jason Watt 7 1 7 3 Ret Ret 3 2 10 8 Ret 2 30 5 FRA Soheil Ayari Ret Ret 5 Ret DNQ Ret 1 Ret Ret 3 3 Ret 20 6 FRA Stéphane Sarrazin 1 24 15 24 4 Ret 8 Ret 2 Ret Ret 19 19 7 BEL Kurt Mollekens Ret 2 2 8 5 5 10 Ret DNQ 8 4 19 8 GBR Gareth Rees Ret Ret Ret 4 Ret 4 Ret 6 DNS 12 4 Ret 10 9 BRA Max Wilson Ret Ret 6 5 DNPQ 2 Ret Ret Ret 13 Ret Ret 9 10 GBR Jamie Davies 3 8 13 16 3 Ret Ret 16 15 15 7 14 8 11 PRT André Couto Ret 5 14 Ret Ret 6 Ret Ret 5 14 9 5 7 12 FRA Boris Derichebourg 11 6 3 12 Ret Ret 15 7 Ret 17 11 Ret 5 13 FRA Nicolas Minassian Ret 19 Ret 7 9 7 5 Ret 4 19 19 5 14 DEU Dominik Schwager 14 11 4 14 10 DNQ Ret 14 18 Ret Ret 7 3 15 ITA Thomas Biagi 4 10 12 10 13 10 Ret 12 3 16 GBR Kevin McGarrity DNQ 14 27 Ret DNQ Ret 4 Ret 3 17 ITA Oliver Martini 16 9 9 Ret DNPQ 10 9 13 6 9 5 Ret 3 18 BRA Bruno Junqueira Ret 16 16 9 Ret Ret 6 5 Ret Ret 18 Ret 3 19 FRA Cyrille Sauvage 5 Ret 11 Ret 15 Ret 13 Ret 8 20 2 20 DEU Alex Müller Ret Ret 10 11 Ret Ret 11 Ret 20 5 20 13 2 21 ARG Gastón Mazzacane 6 7 Ret 6 12 9 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 13 Ret 2 22 CZE Tomáš Enge 15 12 7 Ret 6 1 23 ZAF Werner Lupberger Ret 13 12 18 14 Ret 16 8 17 11 6 Ret 1 24 BRA Marcelo Battistuzzi DNQ 22 Ret Ret Ret DNQ 18 Ret 11 6 Ret Ret 1 25 PRT Rui Águas 9 17 17 7 Ret Ret 0 26 ARG Brian Smith 10 Ret Ret 15 11 8 0 27 ITA Giovanni Montanari Ret 15 8 13 13 Ret 14 Ret 19 16 Ret 10 0 28 GBR Dino Morelli Ret 19 10 8 0 29 CAN Bertrand Godin 8 Ret 22 19 Ret DNQ 19 12 14 21 12 11 0 30 FRA Fabrice Walfisch 13 18 20 Ret DNQ DNQ Ret Ret Ret 22 Ret 8 0 31 AUT Oliver Tichy 22 9 9 18 Ret Ret 0 32 FRA Grégoire de Galzain DNQ Ret 18 23 DNPQ DNQ Ret 17 Ret 25 10 16 0 33 GBR Christian Horner Ret 12 Ret Ret 16 DNQ 17 18 Ret DNQ 17 17 0 34 GBR Jonny Kane 12 21 Ret 20 0 35 ITA Fabrizio Gollin DNQ 17 DNQ Ret Ret DNQ 21 DNQ Ret DNQ 14 Ret 0 36 ITA Giorgio Vinella DNQ Ret 25 22 DNQ DNQ Ret 21 DNQ 15 22 0 37 JPN Hidetoshi Mitsusada 23 Ret 15 0 38 GBR Mark Shaw Ret 20 Ret Ret DNPQ DNQ 20 19 16 24 16 18 0 39 ITA Paolo Ruberti DSQ Ret 23 21 18 Ret 0 40 GBR James Taylor 21 21 0 41 ESP Polo Villaamil DNQ 24 0 – GBR David Cook Ret DNQ DNS 0 – BEL Bas Leinders DNS 0 Pos Driver OSCDEU IMLITA CATESP SILGBR MONMCO PAUFRA A1RAUT HOCDEU HUNHUN SPABEL PERITA NÜRDEU PointsSources:F3000 International Championship Standings 1998 https://motorsportstats.com/series/f3000-international-championship/standings/1998 Motorsport Stats 30 December 2023FIA Formula 3000 Int. Championship - Season 1998: Results https://www.speedsport-magazine.com/motorsport/formula-level2/gp2-series-formula-3000/1998-results.html Speedsport Magazine 30 December 20231998 FIA International F3000 Championship https://www.motorsportmagazine.com/database/championships/1998-fia-international-f3000-championship/ Motor Sport 30 December 2023Bold – Pole Italics – Fastest lap Notes All drivers used Lola T96/50 chassis, with Zytek-Judd V8 engines, and Avon tyres. Paolo Ruberti was disqualified from third place at Oschersleben due to a bodywork infringement. Complete overview first column of every race 10 = grid position second column of every race 10 = race result R22=retired, but classified R=retired NC=not classified NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify DIS(3)=disqualified after finishing in third place (16)=place after practice, but grid position not held free Place Name Team OSCDEU IMOITA CATESP SILGBR MONMCO PAUFRA OSTAUT HOCDEU HUNHUN SPABEL PERITA NÜRDEU 1 COL Juan Pablo Montoya SuperNova Racing 1 15 1 R 1 1 1 1 7 6 1 1 2 2 10 3 2 3 1 2 3 1 1 3 2 DEU Nick Heidfeld West Competition Team 2 2 5 4 3 26 2 2 2 1 6 3 13 7 1 1 3 1 2 4 1 2 32 9 3 URY Gonzalo Rodríguez Team Astromega 5 R 2 3 27 21 9 R26 3 2 2 R 6 4 6 11 11 7 6 1 7 R22 2 1 4 DNK Jason Watt Den Blå Avis 11 7 3 1 11 7 3 3 1 R 5 R 4 3 4 2 10 10 20 8 2 R 3 2 5 FRA Soheil Ayari Durango Formula 4 R 6 R23 2 5 17 R 30 NQ 3 R 1 1 3 R 19 R 3 3 4 3 5 R 6 FRA Stéphane Sarrazin Apomatox 18 1 18 R24 25 15 25 24 4 4 16 R 8 8 5 R 1 2 7 R 18 R 10 19 BEL Kurt Mollekens KTR/Arden 9 R 4 2 5 2 14 8 8 5 11 5 9 10 11 R - - 31 NQ 15 8 4 4 8 GBR Gareth Rees Den Blå Avis 25 R 15 R 33 R30 4 4 11 R17 8 4 3 R 13 6 20 R 16 12 6 4 20 20 9 BRA Max Wilson Edenbridge Racing 3 NC 7 R 9 6 6 5 33 NQ 7 2 21 R 2 R 17 R 19 13 8 R 23 23 10 GBR Jamie Davies DAMS 27 3 26 8 16 13 19 16 5 3 9 R 14 R 25 16 25 15 13 15 10 7 17 14 11 PRT André Couto Prema Powerteam 10 R 11 5 24 14 20 R 6 R 14 6 18 R 22 R 6 5 15 14 24 9 6 5 12 FRA Boris Derichebourg SuperNova Racing 23 11 8 6 6 3 15 12 18 R 4 R 15 15 21 7 9 R 18 17 22 11 13 R FRA Nicolas Minassian West Competition Team 15 NC 16 19 8 R 8 7 16 9 21 7 7 5 7 21 7 4 12 19 17 19 - - 14 ITA Thomas Biagi Coloni Motorsport 20 4 24 10 - - - - - - - - Prema Powerteam 17 12 18 10 18 13 8 10 5 R 25 12 DEU Dominik Schwager RTL Team Oreca 7 14 14 11 4 4 16 14 19 10 25 NQ 28 R 14 14 22 18 21 R 27 R 11 7 GBR Kevin McGarrity Raceprep Motorsport 31 NQ 30 14 35 27 31 R 27 NQ - - Nordic Racing 33 R 15 4 31 2 - - - - - - BRA Bruno Junqueira Draco Engineering 14 R 23 16 26 16 7 9 9 R 12 R 5 6 9 5 14 R 22 R 13 18 8 R ITA Oliver Martini Auto Sport Racing 19 R 17 9 12 9 29 R27 34 NQ 20 10 11 9 26 13 5 6 11 9 11 5 9 R 19 FRA Cyrille Sauvage GP Racing 17 5 9 R 15 11 27 R 12 15 10 R 12 13 16 R 8 8 10 20 - - - - ARG Gastón Mazzacane Team Astromega 22 6 12 7 22 A28 5 6 22 R 13 9 22 R 24 R 16 R 33 NQ 25 13 7 R DEU Alex Müller RTL Team Oreca 13 R 20 R 13 10 13 11 14 R 22 R 13 7 19 11 8 20 23 20 4 5 14 13 22 BRA Marcelo Battistuzzi Apomatox 34 NQ 25 22 30 R 34 R 25 R 27 NQ 29 18 17 R 12 11 9 6 23 R 24 R ZAF Werner Lupberger Edenbridge Racing 28 R 27 13 10 12 28 18 23 14 18 R 20 16 12 8 24 17 14 11 9 6 21 R CZE Tomáš Enge Auto Sport Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 23 15 15 12 5 7 16 R 15 6 - PRT Rui Águas Auto Sport Racing 24 9 - - Coloni Motorsport 14 17 23 17 10 7 17 R - - 32 R - - - - - - - - - ARG Brian Smith Nordic Racing 6 10 10 R 28 R31 12 15 15 11 19 8 - - - - - - - - - - - - - ITA Giovanni Montanari Draco Engineering 16 R 29 15 7 8 10 13 21 13 23 R 16 14 19 R 26 19 26 16 26 R 16 10 - GBR Dino Morelli Auto Sport Racing - - 19 R 21 19 11 10 17 9 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - CAN Bertrand Godin Durango Formula 12 8 32 R 20 22 22 19 24 R 24 NQ 26 19 27 12 21 14 24 21 31 12 18 11 - FRA Fabrice Walfisch Nordic Racing 29 13 31 18 31 20 32 25 28 NQ 31 NQ 24 R 29 R 13 R 27 22 21 R 12 8 - AUT Oliver Tichy Coloni Motorsport - - - - - - - - - - - - 10 22 20 9 4 9 17 18 20 R 22 R - FRA Grégoire de Galzain DAMS 32 NQ 35 R 17 18 35 23 32 NQ 28 NQ 25 R 30 17 28 R 23 25 14 10 28 16 - GBR Christian Horner KTR/Arden 30 R 22 12 19 R 26 R 26 16 30 NQ 23 17 28 18 32 R 30 NQ 29 17 29 17 - GBR Jonny Kane Redman & Bright F3000 21 12 13 21 18 R29 18 20 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ITA Fabrizio Gollin G. S. Team 35 NQ 28 17 36 R 30 R 20 R 29 NQ 30 21 33 NQ 30 R 32 NQ 28 14 26 R - ITA Giorgio Vinella Coloni Motorsport 33 NQ 34 R 32 25 33 22 29 NQ 32 NQ 31 R - - 29 21 29 R 30 15 30 22 - JPN Hidetoshi Mitsusada Coloni Motorsport - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 28 23 19 R 19 15 - GBR Mark Shaw Redman & Bright F3000 26 R 33 20 29 R 21 R 31 NQ 26 NQ 27 20 31 19 27 16 25 24 32 16 27 18 - ITA Paolo Ruberti Prema Powerteam 8 DIS(3) 21 R 23 23 24 21 13 18 15 R - - - - - - - - - - - - - GBR James Taylor GP Racing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 33 21 31 21 - ESP Polo Villaamil Elide Racing 36 NQ - - 34 24 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - GBR David Cook Redman & Bright F3000 - - - - - - - - - - - - 32 R 34 NQ 33 NS - - - - - - - BEL Bas Leinders West Competition Team - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (16) NS References Category:International Formula 3000 seasons Formula 3000