FIA makes changes to planned Formula 1 superlicence points system

As part of a clampdown on young and inexperienced drivers getting to F1, following 17-year-old Max Verstappen's signing by Toro Rosso, the FIA created a new system in which drivers must accumulate 40 points across a three-year period.

But after criticism of the way points were allocated, the FIA has increased the list of series that award points and adjusted the rankings following a meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Mexico on Friday.

The FIA's planned new Formula 2 championship had previously offered 60 points for its champion, with GP2 on 50 and IndyCar, the World Endurance Championship's LMP1 class and the Formula 3 European Championship awarding 40.

Now all five will offer 40 for the title-winner, with the same amount going to second and third in F2.

The FIA added the winner of the Formula E Championship will also be given a superlicence even though the series is not part of the points system.

The Formula Renault 3.5 Series champion will receive 35 points, rather than the planned 30, but will still require success the previous season to qualify.

DTM and the World Touring Car Championship have been added to the list, with the winner earning 15 points apiece, along with Indy Lights and the senior category of CIK-FIA World Championship karting.

The FIA has also increased the flexibility for drivers who qualify for a superlicence but are then unable to secure an F1 racing seat and take a test role instead.

Drivers must still have scored at least 40 points during the three-year period preceding the application, but will now get a three-year grace period in which those points are valid if they are testing but not racing in F1.

Verstappen finished third in the F3 standings last year, which would have earned him just 20 points on the new licence system, and forced him to either race again in the category or move up to GP2.

From 2016, F1 drivers must 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 for a superlicence.

REVISED SUPERLICENCE POINTS SYSTEM:

                 1st  2nd  3rd  4nd  5th  6th  7th  8th  9th  10th
Future FIA F2    40   40   40   30   20   10   8    6    4    3
GP2              40   40   30   20   10   8    6    4    3    2
F3 European      40   30   20   10   8    6    4    3    2    1
WEC LMP1         40   30   20   10   8    6    4    3    2    1
IndyCar          40   30   20   10   8    6    4    3    2    1
FR3.5            35   25   20   15   10   7    5    3    2    1
GP3              30   20   15   10   7    5    3    2    1    0
Super Formula    25   20   15   10   7    5    3    2    1    0
WTCC             15   12   10   7    5    3    2    1    0    0
DTM              15   12   10   7    5    3    2    1    0    0
Indy Lights      15   12   10   7    5    3    2    1    0    0
National FIA F4  12   10   7    5    3    2    1    0    0    0
National F3      10   7    5    3    1    0    0    0    0    0
FR2.0            10   7    5    3    1    0    0    0    0    0
CIK-FIA Senior   5    3    2    1    0    0    0    0    0    0