The Dallara GP3 cars were chassis for the GP3 Series as a feeder series for the parent GP2 series where Italian manufacturer Dallara also designs the chassis.
GP3/10
The Dallara GP3/10 was a first generation car in the series. It debuted in May 2010 at Catalunya and had its final run in September 2012 in Monza. During its run, it claimed championship titles for Esteban Gutiérrez in 2010, Valtteri Bottas in 2011 and finally Mitch Evans in 2012 with ART Grand Prix winning the teams title on all accounts. It also helped 9 drivers successfully graduate into the GP2 parent series. Both Gutiérrez and Bottas made their F1 debuts in the 2013 Formula 1 season with Sauber and Williams respectively.
Each team was allowed to run three separate GP3/10's, and with a total of ten different teams and thirty cars on the grid, it was one of the largest grids in motor-sport making it a rather unstable class of racing. With the chassis to be taken over by the GP3/13 in 2013, the number of cars on track was limited to twenty seven.[2]
The Dallara GP3/13 was the second generation in the series. The GP3/13 made its debut at the start of the 2013 season in Barcelona and it was in use for three seasons before being replaced by the Dallara GP3/16.
The 280bhp turbo-charged inline-4 engine that was used in the Dallara GP3/10 between 2010 and 2012 was upgraded to a 400bhp 3.4 litre (207 cu in) naturally-aspirated V6 unit,[4] with initial estimations suggesting that the chassis would be up to three seconds per lap faster than its predecessor,[5] which proved to be accurate during pre-season testing at the Autódromo do Estoril.[6]
The Dallara GP3/16 was the third generation of the series. The GP3/16 made its debut at the start of the 2016 season in Barcelona, and remained in use until the final season of the GP3 Series in 2018.[8] The Dallara GP3/16 chassis was designed to replace the GP3/13 chassis in the 2016 season. Dallara began the development, design and construction of the GP3/16 chassis in mid-2014. The first chassis began assembly in July 2015, and was completed in September.[citation needed]
Chassis
The Dallara GP3/16 car has a more radical design with the all-new F1-style lower nose, original rear wing, air ventilation in both sidepods and also engine cover. The "shark fin" engine cover was replaced by a more conventional design. The rear wing of all Dallara GP3/16 cars were slightly updated for the 2017 season due to the introduction of the Drag Reduction System (DRS) used in Formula One and Formula 2.[9]
Engine package
The GP3/16 used a 3.4 L (207 cu in) V6 naturally-aspirated direct-injected fuel-efficient engine developed by Mecachrome Motorsport, replacing the P57 engine developed by Advanced Engine Research (AER) that was used in its predecessor, the GP3/13.
Aerodynamics
The Dallara GP3/16 car would incorporate the Drag Reduction Systems (DRS) rear wing flap for the first time since 2017 season in a purpose for overtaking maneuver assist.
^"GP3 Series reveals new 400bhp car to be raced from 2013". Autosport.com. Haymarket Publications. 6 September 2012. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012. GP3 plans to announce the nine teams that will compete in the category next year, with a limit of 27 cars on the grid. Michel also confirmed that the format of the calendar will remain unchanged next season, with eight double-headers running in support of F1.
