Carlin plans to run three old-spec cars in 2014 British F3
British Formula 3 superteam Carlin plans to run three old-spec Dallaras in next year's championship
The team, which has run the past six British F3 champions - including newly-crowned 2013 title winner Jordan King (pictured) - believes that this is its ideal option for the series' new format, where new-spec and 2008-11-generation chassis will compete together in the same class.
Carlin has retained three of its Dallara F308s. One of these was used for Antonio Felix da Costa to contest an MSV F3 Cup race at Snetterton last October to make him eligible for the Macau Grand Prix, while they have also been used as 'training' cars for Carlin GP3 drivers Eric Lichtenstein and Luis Sa Silva.
Team boss Trevor Carlin said: "We always had a feeling that it was worth keeping them. There was a glut of them available when the old chassis cycle ended so their value dropped and we held onto them.
"As it happens, now we can race them again. The F308 is a fantastic car, and because of the current regulations it's the same pace as the F312.
"I think you'll get a cross-section of drivers in the new British F3, such as people who don't want to do another year of Formula Renault 2.0 and aren't yet ready for European F3.
"It will be the same cost as a season in the Formula Renault Eurocup, it's a much better car and it prepares you for the step up to European F3.
"Hopefully we can get drivers of the calibre of Adam Carroll and Gary Paffett, who proved themselves in B-class cars in British F3 [winning the 2002 and 2000 titles respectively] before they stepped up."
Carlin will continue using its existing Volkswagen engines in British F3, and is expected to switch to the new VW powerplant for European F3's new regulations in 2014.
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| Series | FIA F3 |
| Teams | Carlin |
| Author | Marcus Simmons |
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