FIA makes changes to planned Formula 1 superlicence points system
The FIA has announced sweeping changes to the new points system that will be used to qualify for mandatory Formula 1 superlicences from next season
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
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