European Formula 3 1980
The FIA European F3 Championship continued to strengthen, and the 1980 season saw a massive battle between the March 803-Alfa Romeos of Pavanello Euroracing and ORECA's Martini MK31s, and their five drivers: Michele Alboreto and 19-year-old Corrado Fabi for Euroracing, and Thierry Boutsen, Mauro Baldi and Philippe Alliot for Martini. Boutsen was on top at the start of the season in the Martini MK31 thanks to Martini's stock of 1979 rubber - at least until Goodyear overcame the problems with its new tyres. Then Alboreto's March 803 was transformed by a new narrow nose, and he overtook the Belgian to take the title. Also in the frame was Baldi, who bought his own supply of Toyota engines to replace the Renault powerplant with which he started the season, and went on a run of seven pole positions and four race wins to briefly challenge for the title.
March took some time to get the 803 working properly, and the car's reputation in pre-season testing suppressed sales. The Martini MK31 was a tidied up version of the MK27, and Tico Martini continued to ignore ground-effect, at least until the revised 803B took over. Chevron went into liquidation in early 1980 without selling any new F3 cars, and Ralt's RT3 design was still unconvincing. The Argo JM6, although popular in Britain, was not used by any of the European series regulars. As Renault had lost intereest, Novamotor's Toyota engine was the most numerous again, although the Italian tuning company planned to make its Alfa Romeo unit more widely available in 1981.
The races
30 Mar 1980 > Goodyear-ADAC-300-km-Rennen at Nürburgring
06 Apr 1980 > Preis von Knittelfeld at Österreichring
20 Apr 1980 > Grote Prijs van Zolder
27 Apr 1980 > Trophée Jean Bernigaud at Magny Cours
18 May 1980 > Monaco Grand Prix Formula 3 Race at Monte Carlo
26 May 1980 > Pinksterraces Zandvoort
01 Jun 1980 > Grand Prix de La Châtre
15 Jun 1980 > EuroMugello Formula 3
29 Jun 1980 > Gran Premio della Lotteria at Monza
27 Jul 1980 > Trofeo Emiliani at Misano
10 Aug 1980 > Kvällspostens Newsrace at Knutstorp
11 Aug 1980 > Austrian Grand Prix support race at Österreichring
07 Sep 1980 > Bradford & Bingley Trophy at Silverstone
21 Sep 1980 > Trofeo Villa de Madrid at Jarama
05 Oct 1980 > ADAC-Hessen-Preis at Kassel-Calden
12 Oct 1980 > Zolder
European Formula 3 Championship events shown in bold
1980 European Formula 3 Championship table
| 1 | Michele Alboreto | March 803 - Alfa Romeo Novamotor March 803B - Alfa Romeo Novamotor | 60 pts | 4 wins |
| 2 | Thierry Boutsen | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 54 pts | 3 wins |
| 3 | Corrado Fabi | March 803 - Alfa Romeo Novamotor March 803B - Alfa Romeo Novamotor | 50 pts | 2 wins |
| 4 | Mauro Baldi | Martini MK31 - Renault 20TS Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 45 pts | 3 wins |
| 5 | Philippe Alliot | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 39 pts | |
| 6 | Philippe Streiff | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 18 pts | 1 win |
| 7 | Kurt Thiim | Chevron B38 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor Ralt RT3/80 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 13 pts | |
| 8 | Alain Ferté | Martini MK27 - Renault 20TS Dudot | 12 pts | |
| 9= | Mike White | March 803B - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 9 pts | 1 win |
| 9= | Enzo Coloni | March 783 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 9 pts | |
| 11 | Oscar Larrauri | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 7 pts | |
| 12 | Rob Wilson | Ralt RT3/80 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 6 pts | |
| 13= | Pascal Fabre | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 5 pts | |
| 13= | Frank Jelinski | Ralt RT3/80 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 5 pts | |
| 15 | Michael Bleekemolen | Ralt RT1/78 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 4 pts | |
| 16 | Thierry Tassin | Argo JM6 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 3 pts | |
| 17= | Eddy Bianchi | Ralt RT1/77 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 2 pts | |
| 17= | Eddie Jordan | Ralt RT3/80 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 2 pts | |
| 19= | Vinicio Salmi | Martini MK31 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 1 pt | |
| 19= | Guido Cappellotto | Ralt RT3/79 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 1 pt | |
| 19= | Roberto Campominosi | March 803 - Alfa Romeo Novamotor | 1 pt | |
| 19= | Wolfgang Klein | Ralt RT3/80 - Toyota 2T-G Novamotor | 1 pt |
This series ran over 14 rounds and used a 9-6-4-3-2-1 points system. Points tables from Autosport 20 Nov 1980 p37.
The balance of power between the constructors changed significantly in 1980. March and Martini were tied on wins, at seven each, or eight each if the two major non-championship events, the support races at the Monaco and Austrian Grand Prix, are counted. Martini had the edge on a count of podium finishes in championship races, with 21 to March's 18, but that becomes 22 all when Monaco and Austria are added. Chevron had but two, Ralt only one, and Argo just a third place in Austria. Comparing the constructors' share of all starters in European championship rounds, Martini led with 32%, more than doubling their share from 1979, from March on 28% and Ralt on 22%. Chevron were down to 7%, and Argo were on 4%. Bovy, Dallara, Derichs, and Maco filled in the gaps.