The GB3 Championship will introduce a new three-round Copa del Sol Series in February 2027, taking the championship’s current machinery to Spain for 12 races across three consecutive weekends.
MotorLand Aragón will host the opening four races on 13–14 February before the series moves to Circuito del Jarama on 20–21 February. Circuito de Jerez will then stage the final four races on 27–28 February and crown the inaugural Copa del Sol champion.
The new competition marks GB3’s first standalone three-event European series and will give existing and prospective drivers extensive testing and racing mileage before the main 2027 campaign begins.
Four Qualifying sessions and races at each event
GB3 will use a different sporting format from its regular championship weekends, with each Copa del Sol event featuring four Qualifying sessions and four races.
Each race will have its own dedicated Qualifying session, meaning drivers will have four separate opportunities to secure strong starting positions during every round.
The format removes the reliance on secondary lap times or reversed grids and places equal emphasis on outright Qualifying performance and race execution.
Across the three events, drivers will therefore contest 12 Qualifying sessions and 12 races.
Two days of testing before every round
Competitors will also receive substantial preparation time before each event.
Two days of official testing will precede every race weekend, starting at MotorLand Aragón on 11–12 February. Testing at Jarama follows on 18–19 February before the final two-day session at Jerez on 25–26 February.
The structure gives drivers six full days of official testing in addition to the six days of race-event running.
That mileage should prove particularly valuable for drivers moving into GB3 for the first time, while established competitors can use the programme to prepare for the regular 2027 season.
Series open to drivers aged 16 and over
The Copa del Sol will be available to drivers aged 16 and above and will target several different groups across the junior single-seater ladder.
Drivers planning a full GB3 campaign can use the series as extensive pre-season preparation, while competitors stepping up from GB4 or Formula 4 can gain experience of the more powerful GB3 machinery before committing to a full championship.
The format will also suit drivers seeking GB3 experience in a lower-pressure environment than the main season.
With consecutive events across three different circuits, competitors will have an opportunity to develop their understanding of the car across a broad range of conditions and track characteristics.
Teams permitted to run four cars
GB3 will also relax its usual entry restrictions specifically for the Copa del Sol.
Teams can operate a maximum of four cars throughout the winter series, compared with the three-car limit used during the regular championship.
The increased allowance gives existing teams the opportunity to evaluate additional drivers and potentially accommodate those considering a move into GB3 for the main season.
MSV, Pirelli and Sunoco Race Fuels will provide the same technical support available during regular GB3 events across all three Spanish rounds.
Three Spanish circuits form inaugural calendar
MotorLand Aragón will open the series and provide the first four-race weekend. The modern circuit offers a mixture of long straights, significant elevation changes and high-speed sections, providing an immediate test for the GB3 field.
Jarama follows one week later. Its narrower, more traditional layout offers a distinctly different challenge before teams travel south for the finale.
Jerez will then decide the inaugural championship during the final weekend of February.
By running all three events consecutively, GB3 will provide teams and drivers with an intensive pre-season programme before the traditional European junior single-seater calendar gets underway.
2027 GB3 Copa del Sol provisional schedule
13–14 February — MotorLand Aragón — Races 1, 2, 3 and 4
20–21 February — Circuito del Jarama — Races 5, 6, 7 and 8
27–28 February — Circuito de Jerez — Races 9, 10, 11 and 12
Provisional testing schedule
11–12 February — MotorLand Aragón
18–19 February — Circuito del Jarama
25–26 February — Circuito de Jerez
GB3 will release full sporting regulations, registration fees and further event information in the coming weeks, with entries for the inaugural Copa del Sol set to open shortly.
