2001 International Formula 3000 Championship
The 2001 International Formula 3000 Championship was the 35th season of the second-tier motorsport feeder championship of Formula One and the 17th season to be held under the series name. It featured the 2001 FIA International Formula 3000 Championship, a one-make motor racing series, recognised by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the second highest class of competition of single seater racing cars. A total of 37 drivers representing 13 teams contested 12 races, starting in Brazil on 31 March and ending in Italy on 15 September as they competed for the Drivers' and Teams' Championships.
Viktor Maslov (Arden Team Russia) at the Silverstone round in July 2001
Sébastien Bourdais (pictured in 2007) joined the championship with the DAMS team
Mark Webber (pictured in 2017) finished second in the Drivers' Championship with three wins and 39 points.
Justin Wilson (pictured in 2007) won three races and scored 71 championship points to become the first British driver in history to win the International Formula 3000 Championship.
International Formula 3000
The Formula 3000 International Championship was a motor racing series created by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) in 1985 to become the final preparatory step for drivers hoping to enter Formula One. Formula Two had become too expensive, and was dominated by works-run cars with factory engines; the hope was that Formula 3000 would offer quicker, cheaper, more open racing. The series began as an open specification, then tyres were standardized from 1986 onwards, followed by engines and chassis in 1996. The series ran annually until 2004, and was replaced in 2005 by the GP2 Series.
Fernando Alonso's Lola chassis in the 2000 season.
Sweden's Björn Wirdheim won the 2003 FIA Formula 3000 International Championship for Drivers