
The rights and wrongs of superlicence revamp
MARCUS SIMMONS investigates how the FIA's superlicence points system could change the process of reaching F1, and how it would've impacted on history as well as its future implications
The talent of Max Verstappen has a lot to answer for. Although his graduation to Formula 1 for 2015 at the age of 17, with just one season in car racing under his belt, will never be cited officially as the reason for the FIA's new superlicence qualification rules, it's surely no coincidence that these measures have been revealed at this time.
Verstappen's promotion from Formula 3 European Championship sensation to F1 fledgling has been controversial, with many arguing against it not because of his experience, but his age. Under the new-for-2016 rules he would fail on three counts: he isn't yet 18; he has scored only 20 of the 40 points required; and he hasn't amassed the two seasons of experience in the prescribed championships.

Marcus Simmons is the Deputy Editor of Autosport magazine. As a child he was a regular on the chalk banks of Thruxton – hence his unhealthy obsession with 1970s Formula 2 and F3 – before he became an MSA timekeeper at the age of 17. At 19, his reporting debut for Motoring News arguably overshadowed Maradona’s ‘Hand of God’ goal as the sporting moment of June 1986, and he joined the staff in 1990 after graduating from his degree course in Plymouth. A parallel Formula First career – which was as incident-packed as his childhood exploits in show-jumping and hunter trials – finished when he wrote off his car and put himself in hospital in 1991.
Marcus moved to Autosport in the summer of 1996. Since then he has had two stints as a freelancer and a brief spell as editor of Motor Sport magazine, during which the revered green cover was revived, before he rejoined Autosport in 2008. He lives in Teddington with his wife (who, gratifyingly, grew up within earshot of Castle Combe), daughter, stepson, dog, cat and guitars, and additionally has an adult daughter and stepson.
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