1976 British Formula Three season

The 1976 British Formula Three season was the 26th season of the British Formula Three season. Rupert Keegan took the B.A.R.C. BP Super Visco British Formula 3 Championship, while Bruno Giacomelli took the B.R.D.C. Shellsport British Formula Three Championship.

Contents

• BARC BP Super Visco British F3 Championship
• BRDC Shellsport British F3 Championship
• References

Despite competition from a heavily financed Formule Renault Europe series in 1975 and 1976, Formula Three continued to grow in 1976, notably in Italy and Sweden and with the FIA's European Formula Three series which was done properly in 1976 instead of being an afterthought as in 1975.

John Webb's MCD series had been dropped after 1974, leaving only the BARC series, sponsored by BP, in 1975. For 1976, BP's rivals Shell backed a five-race BRDC series at Silverstone and MCD also returned to organise a number of non-championship races with good prize money. Rupert Keegan won the more prestigious BP series having made a flying start in his ex-Brian Henton March 743-Toyota but then struggled mid-season when trying to replace the old March with a Hawke commissioned by his father and was caught by March works driver Bruno Giacomelli before snatching the title at the last race. The Italian however won the short ShellSport series comfortably. Geoff Lees and Stephen South emerged from the chasing pack as likely future stars.

Thanks to Giacomelli's March 763-Toyota and to Keegan's old 743, March dominated the two championships with 12 race wins, the other five falling to the Chevron B34s of Geoff Lees and mid-season convert Keegan.