Points Make Prizes… Or Superlicences In This Instance!
The FIA has announced a new set of conditions for gaining a superlicence. This is to clampdown on
young inexperienced drivers getting to F1 and making it all seem a little too easy! This is part knee-jerk reaction to Max Verstappens signing and part a little bit of sense, as should you really be allowed to drive an F1 car before you can drive a road car in most countries?
From next year, drivers will need to be at least 18 years old, have passed a test on sporting regulations, and completed at least two years in junior single-seater categories to qualify. They must also gain 40 points from the below table over those three years:
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | |
| Future FIA F2 Championship | 60 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| GP2 Series | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| FIA F3 European Championship | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA WEC (LMP1 only) | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| IndyCar | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| GP3 Series | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Renault 3.5 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Japanese Super Formula | 20 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| National F4 championships | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National F3 championships | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Formula Renault (EuroCup, ALPS, NEC) | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Whilst this seems fairly simple there are a few concerns about the way the table is weighted towards the FIA’s own championships etc. It is a bit odd to see a new F2 championship that doesn’t even exist yet be weighted higher than true F1 proving grounds such as GP2. There are also some glaring admissions such as DTM. I mean Paul Di Resta would have never been eligable for a seat had these rules been in place previously. But then going back nor would Raikkonen, Button, Alonso and many more.
The FIA has needed to streamline the feeder formulae and hopefully this is part of this step, but there should also be some discussion as there are other great championships out there that have extremely talented drivers and certainly deserve the option to graduate to F1.
Another point to consider is that this may help with the ‘pay driver’ situation in F1 as you do now have to qualify and be good enough to earn your seat in F1, It can’t be bought with money alone.
