5 Suggestions for Changes to the New FIA Super Licence Criteria
The FIA's decision to introduce sweeping changes to the Super Licence qualification criteria has sparked a lot of debate over the last week.
The steps taken to make it more difficult to acquire the licence—needed to compete in Formula One—have been met with broad approval. Cutting out the low-achieving pay drivers in favour of youngsters with solid records can only be seen as a good thing.
But certain details have come in for criticism. Former racer David Coulthard and ex-McLaren tester and DTM champion Gary Paffett are among those to have voiced concerns, while Autosport reports Renault are seeking talks regarding the weighting of points to certain categories.
The new system is better than the old one, but it's not perfect and some changes are needed.
Here are five the FIA should consider.
The New System in Brief
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The new licence system requires a driver to:
- Be aged 18 or over at the start of his first grand prix weekend.
- Hold a valid road driving licence.
- Complete an "F1 theory test."
- Have completed at least 80 percent of two seasons in certain junior formulae.
- Have driven 300 kilometres in a representative F1 car at racing speeds over a period of not more than two days.
Additionally, the driver must either:
- Have made at least five F1 starts in the previous year, or 15 F1 starts in the previous three years.
- Have scored at least 40 super licence points in the three years preceding his application.
These points are awarded based on the driver's finishing position in lower formulae (and other series). The published points to be won are shown in the table below.
| Future FIA F2 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| GP2 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| FIA European F3 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA WEC LMP1 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| IndyCar | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| GP3 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Renault 3.5 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Super Formula | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F4 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F3 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Licences are valid until the end of their year of issue. The new system comes into force on January 1, 2016, so will affect every driver hoping to race from next season onward.
The document containing all this information, Appendix L to the International Sporting Code, can be found here (pdf). Details of the new licence begin on page 21.
On to the changes...
Change the Points Allocations
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The most significant part of the new licence requirements is the points system, and some of the details don't really make a lot of sense.
The most glaring example is Formula Renault 3.5 being worth fewer points than Formula Three. F3 has less powerful engines, less experienced drivers and less downforce, so should be worth less points.
Additionally, the system has no place for series like DTM, Formula E, Indy Lights and Auto GP. Nor does it award points for the lower classes in the World Endurance Championship.
It currently looks like this:
| Future FIA F2 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| GP2 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| FIA European F3 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA WEC LMP1 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| IndyCar | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| GP3 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Renault 3.5 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Super Formula | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F4 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F3 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Formula Renault 2.0 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Though the competitiveness and difficulty of FR3.5 could be considered on a par with GP2, the latter is admittedly a closer match to F1—and the cars are a touch more powerful.
But FR3.5 is without question a higher level than F3. The points for those two championships should really be switched around.
The next series to address, the FR2.0 Eurocup, is at least as the equal of a national Formula Three series—it should have its points doubled to reflect this. National Formula Four should count for less and move down to the same level as FR2.0 Alps and NEC, which should be split off from the Eurocup and remain in their current place.
DTM is a high-level racing series that this writer would install at a new 15-point level alongside the LMP2 and GT Pro categories in the WEC. Indy Lights and Auto GP would come in at the 10-point level, as would Formula E.
These changes would result in the following:
| Future FIA F2 | 60 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| GP2 | 50 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Formula Renault 3.5 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA WEC LMP1 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| IndyCar | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| GP3 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| FIA European F3 | 30 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Super Formula | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| DTM | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA WEC LMP2/GT | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Indy Lights | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Auto GP | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FR2.0 Eurocup | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F3 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Formula E | 10 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National FIA F4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FR2.0 NEC and Alps | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Further changes could be made if a series becomes more or less competitive. For example, Formula E may have morphed into a very different beast three years down the line.
Delay the Points Introduction
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The licence requirements have been dropped on young drivers with very little notice.
Drivers like Mercedes reserve Pascal Wehrlein and ex-Sauber and Caterham reserve Robin Frijns suddenly need to find 40 points in 2015 if they're to stand a chance of being on the grid in 2016.
But maybe they've already made plans and signed deals for the coming season? Even if they haven't, most of the top seats in series like GP2 will already be taken.
They didn't have crystal balls telling them that they should have been scoring licence points in 2013 and 2014. The FIA suddenly announcing that they have essentially wasted two years of their careers is totally unfair.
If performance and points gathering over three seasons is going to be what counts, those three seasons should start now.
Keep the age limit and road licence requirements, but the introduction of the points system should be pushed back to come in at the start of 2018.
That way, all drivers affected by it will have been aware it existed for all of their points-scoring seasons.
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Pause Points for Test and Reserve Drivers
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Taking a role as a test and reserve driver for an F1 team used to be one of the best routes into a race seat.
Now, the rules as laid out in the regulations reveal taking such a role could end your dreams because it appears you get no points for it. For example, a driver could have three points-scoring seasons under his belt and be eligible for a Super Licence:
| 2012 | 30 points |
| 2013 | 15 points |
| 2014 | 20 points |
| Total | 65 points |
But after a season as a test and reserve driver with no other commitments, he'd have the following:
| 2013 | 15 points |
| 2014 | 20 points |
| 2015 | 0 points |
| Total | 35 points |
He would not be eligible any more, despite him having spent a season working closely with an F1 team and being more prepared than he was a year earlier.
The licence system should allow a driver taking such a role to "pause" his points score, should he so wish. For example, a driver acting as a reserve in 2015 would be allowed to use his points from 2012, 2013 and 2014 now and at the start of next season.
This one could already be in the works, but as the regulations are, no allowance is made.
Success in Formula 1 Should Mean a Licence for Life
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Under the new licence rules, Michael Schumacher could not have returned to F1 at the start of 2010, as he had spent more than three seasons away.
He would have had to go and score 40 points in the junior categories first—and that would have been a little bit silly, wouldn't it?
What Schumacher did was far from normal, and chances are the issue will never raise its head again. The likelihood a successful, fully capable driver will go elsewhere for three seasons then decide to come back is minimal.
But to be on the safe side, drivers who have experienced success and good results should be granted eligibility for a Super Licence for the rest of their career.
Five podiums seems a reasonable limit.
State Exemptions in Black and White
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Some drivers stand out as truly exceptional. A way for such talents to skip the points system should be added in black and white into the regulations.
The details of how this should happen would need some fine-tuning. But as an example, a youngster would "pre-qualify" for the licence if 80 percent of the team principals, secretly balloted, agree he deserves it. His case would then go to the FIA President and a nominated panel of three ex-drivers who would make a final decision.
It's unlikely this would be necessary because one would expect a great talent to secure the necessary points more often than not.
But suppose someone like Sebastien Loeb (a few years ago) or Marc Marquez did a test and was extremely quick. Should they receive a "no" and directions to GP3 or should their experience elsewhere be worth something?
Or maybe a seemingly brilliant young driver like Kimi Raikkonen, who would have had zero (or maybe five had points been given for the UK FR2.0 series back then) points when he made his debut—would he also be excluded?
This would also be helpful for younger drivers who previously qualified for the licence but spent a few years doing something else.
Hopeful...
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Hopefully one or more of these ideas is already bouncing around over at Place de la Concorde, and the issues with the system are being looked at.
What are your thoughts on the licence, and what would your suggestions be?
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