Martin Brundle’s 1983 Ralt RT3 heads to auction after Senna title battle
Driven by Martin Brundle during his fiercely contested 1983 British Formula 3 campaign against Ayrton Senna, this restored Ralt RT3 returns to Silverstone carrying one of the most closely fought title stories of the era
Iconic Auctioneers
1. Car is ‘on the button’ and will be sold with a host of new spares, including three nose cones and rear wing components
When talk turns to Ayrton Senna’s rivals, most people think of the Brazilian’s on-track battles with Frenchman Alain Prost. But wind the clock back a little further to 1983 and memories of equally intense competition between Senna and Britain’s own Martin Brundle might come flooding back.
2. Sieger Gas Detection colours replicate the car’s 1983 season livery
In that year, the pair were on the same grid for the British Formula 3 championship, each in a Ralt chassis with Toyota power.
3. Two-litre, twin-cam Toyota engine develops around 165bhp at 6000rpm
In the first half of the 20-race season, Senna dominated with an astounding nine victories in the first nine races – before crashing out at Silverstone in round 10. The incident seemed to rattle his nerve while simultaneously giving Brundle such a psychological boost that, by the final round at Thruxton, he was leading the championship by one point.
4. No paddles in here – just a manual, five-speed, Hewland gearbox
In the end, Senna won through – but the intense contests that led to him finally lifting the trophy have been judged by some as being among the most exciting in single-seater racing, Formula 1 included.
5. Maximum speed 165mph
So interest is likely to be high when the actual Ralt RT3 that took Brundle within a hair’s breadth of championship victory (and led to his promotion to the Tyrrell F1 team) comes under the hammer at this Iconic auction being held during the BRDC Classic at Silverstone.
6. Chassis was designed by Brabham co-founder Ron Tauranac as an aluminium monocoque with a weight-reducing honeycomb structure
Found in Sweden some years ago and subsequently returned to the UK, the car has been meticulously restored and returned to the same blue and yellow Sieger livery it wore when Brundle campaigned it for Eddie Jordan Racing. He last drove it during the Eddie Jordan tribute at the weekend of the 2025 British Grand Prix.
The car was reunited with Martin Brundle at Silverstone in ’25
Iconic Auctioneers
1983 RALT RT3/83
On sale with Iconic, Silverstone, July 24.
Estimate: £40,000-£50,000. iconicauctioneers.com