1991 International Formula 3000 Championship


The 1991 Formula 3000 International Championship was the seventh season of Formula 3000 in Europe. Christian Fittipaldi won the championship after ten rounds.

Technical changes

A major technical change for 1991 was the introduction by Avon of radial-ply tyres. Compared to the previous crossply tyres, these could be more consistently manufactured, and made the cars more consistent aerodynamically, but gave the drivers less control at high slip angles.
Lola's T91/50 chassis was an evolution of the previous year's championship-winning T90/50, and retained a very short wheelbase of. By comparison, the Reynard 91D had a wheelbase of. The short wheelbase of the Lola was blamed for its inability to perform on the new tyres, and the Forti Corse team switched to Reynards after three rounds. The Eddie Jordan Racing team attempted to lengthen its Lolas by adding a spacer in between the engine and gearbox, but eventually it too purchased a Reynard for Damon Hill.
The Ralt name, last seen in F3000 in 1988, returned after being split off from the March Group.

Season summary

won for the new Il Barone Rampante team at the first race at Vallelunga. Jean-Marc Gounon then took Ralt's last F3000 win at Pau. Christian Fittipaldi won at Jerez, and Zanardi won again at Mugello.
Gounon won on the road at Enna, but he was controversially adjudged to have jumped the start. The race win was given to Emanuele Naspetti, who was making his first start in a Reynard after his Forti team had switched from Lolas. Naspetti then won the following three races at Hockenheim, Brands Hatch and Spa-Francorchamps. His success was blamed in part on the exotic fuel blend provided by Agip, which would be banned the following year.
Fittipaldi's Pacific teammate Antonio Tamburini won on the Bugatti Circuit at Le Mans. In the finale at Nogaro, Fittipaldi beat title rival Zanardi for the race win and the championship.

Drivers and constructors

Calendar

Final points standings

Driver

For every race points were awarded: 9 points to the winner, 6 for runner-up, 4 for third place, 3 for fourth place, 2 for fifth place and 1 for sixth place. No additional points were awarded.
PosDriverVLL
PAU
JER
MUG
PER
HOC
BRH
SPA
BUG
NOG
Points
1 Christian Fittipaldi2213Ret43Ret2147
2 Alessandro Zanardi1Ret21RetRet22Ret242
3 Emanuele Naspetti109DNQDNS1111Ret637
4 Antonio Tamburini31047465Ret1Ret22
5 Marco ApicellaRet4Ret22Ret4RetRet1118
6 Jean-Marc GounonDNQ161065Ret7RetRet13
7 Damon Hill4Ret8Ret11Ret6Ret4311
8 Vincenzo SospiriRetDNQ154Ret21610Ret139
9 Éric Hélary113Ret16†154Ret59
10 Andrea MonterminiRetRet31110Ret10Ret3Ret8
11 Giuseppe Bugatti5RetRetRet3RetRet16Ret76
12 Karl Wendlinger5Ret3RetRet6
13 Fabrizio Giovanardi125DNQ8Ret13†86DNS46
14 Heinz-Harald FrentzenRetRet1265DNQ125RetRet5
15 Laurent AïelloRetDNS7RetRet793RetRet4
16 Allan McNishDNQ13DNQ58RetRet8Ret82
17 Philippe GacheDNQ1210Ret9Ret1195Ret2
18 Alain Menu661812RetDNS2
19 Gabriel Furlán9DNQRetRet78RetRet6Ret1
20 David Brabham771190
21 Paul StewartRetDNQ16DNQ12Ret714890
22 Giovanna AmatiDNQRetDNQ14†Ret919DNQ7Ret0
23 Roberto Colciago811DNQRetRetDNQ1817RetRet0
24 Michael BartelsDNQ8Ret150
25 Andrea ChiesaRetRet9DNQRet1014130
26 Paolo Delle PianeRetDNQ17RetDNQRetRet159Ret0
27 David Velay100
28 Peter ZakowskiDNQRet110
29 Andrew Gilbert-ScottDNQ110
30 Paul Belmondo14Ret1413RetRetDNQ12RetRet0
31 Giovanni LavaggiDNQDNQDNQDNQRetDNQDNQDNQDNQ120
32 Fabiano VandoneDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ12DNQDNQDNQ0
33 Giovanni BonannoRet13RetDNQRet17RetDNQ0
34 Vittorio ZoboliRetDNQRetDNQRetDNQ13Ret0
35 Fabrizio Barbazza130
36 Felice Tedeschi15DNQRetRetRetRetDNQDNQ0
Emmanuel CollardRetRet
Jean-Denis DélétrazDNSDNQRet
Massimo MontiDNQRet
Dave CoyneRet
Max AngelelliRet
Fernando PlataDNQDNQDNQDNQDNQ
Thierry DelubacDNQDNQ
Simon KaneDNQDNQ
Pascal WitmeurDNQ

Complete Overview

R16=retired, but classified R=retired NS=did not start NQ=did not qualify