FIA Super Licence
The FIA Super Licence is a driver's qualification allowing the holder to compete in the Formula One World Championship. It is issued and managed by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).
Requirements
[edit]Super Licence
[edit]To qualify for an FIA Racing Super Licence, an applicant must meet the requirements of the FIA's International Sporting Code, Appendix L, Article 13. As of April 2025[update], the article states:
- An existing holder of an International Grade A competition licence.
- A minimum age of 18 at the start of their first F1 competition, though it can be issued in exceptional circumstances under the discretion of FIA at age 17.
- Pass an FIA theory test on knowledge of the F1 sporting codes and regulations when applying for the first time.[a]
- Completed at least 80% of each of two full seasons of any of the Championships reported in Supplement 1 of the regulations.
- Accumulated at least 40 points over the previous three seasons in any combination of the championships reported in Supplement 1 of the regulations.
Additionally, if a driver has previously held a super licence, they must meet one of the following requirements instead:
- A driver who has held a valid super licence for any of the previous three seasons is eligible for a new licence if they have completed 100 km in a free practice session in the last 3 years.
- A driver who has previously held a super licence but has not held a valid licence within the previous three years issue can be granted an exemption by the FIA on the grounds of "recent and consistent demonstration" of "outstanding ability in single-seater formula cars".[1]
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, requirement 5, was amended to allow the three best-scoring seasons from a driver's the previous four seasons to count, provided the three-season window includes 2021. If a driver accumulated at least 30 points and competed in any of the Championships reported in Supplement 1 and was unable to accumulate the 40 points due to "circumstances outside their control or reasons of force majeure", the licence could be granted at the discretion of the FIA.[2] In June 2024, FIA further modified the rules so that drivers were no longer required to hold road legal driving licence in order to apply for a super licence.[3]
As of February 2025[update],[1] the Supplement 1 Super Licence points, which also qualify for the 80% rule, are awarded according to the following table:
| Series | Championship position | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | |
| FIA Formula 2 Championship | 40 | 40 | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 |
| IndyCar Series[A] | 40 | 30 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA Formula 3 Championship | 30 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| FIA Formula E World Championship | 30 | 25 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship – Hypercar | 30 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Formula Regional European Championship | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Super Formula Championship | 30 | 25 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Super Formula Championship (old points before 2025, expires post-2027) | 25 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship – LMP2 (folded 2023, expires post-2026) | 20 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Super GT500 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| IMSA – GTP[A] | 20 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Regional Middle East Championship | 18 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Regional Asian Championship (folded 2022, expires post-2025) | 18 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Regional Americas Championship | 18 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Regional Japanese Championship | 18 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Formula Regional Oceania Championship | 18 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (old points before 2025, expires post-2027) | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| World Touring Car Cup (folded 2022, expires post-2025) | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Supercars Championship[A] | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| NASCAR Cup Series[A] | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Indy NXT[A] | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| W Series (folded 2022, expires post-2025) | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Euroformula Open | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Super Formula Lights | 15 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Formula 4 Championships[B][C] | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship – LMGT3 | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship – LMGTE Pro (folded 2022, expires post-2025) | 12 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| ALMS / ELMS / IMSA – LMP2 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA World Endurance Championship – LMGTE Am (folded 2023, expires post-2026) | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| IMSA – GTD Pro[A] (removed post-2023, expires post-2026) | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| National Formula 3 Championships (removed post-2022, expires post-2025) | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| F1 Academy | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| USF Pro 2000 Championship[A] | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| GB3 Championship | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NASCAR Xfinity Series[A] | 10 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| International GT3 Series | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Super GT300 (from 2025 onwards) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA Karting World Championships Senior[D] | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA Karting Continental Championships Senior[D] | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA Karting World Championships Junior[D] | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| FIA Karting Continental Championships Junior[D] | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Source:[1] | ||||||||||
- ^ a b c d e f g h Subject to 'road course' rounds being held on FIA-homologated circuits. (See List of motor racing circuits by FIA Grade for a full list)[4]
- ^ The Driver must be at least 15 years old. If a driver competes in this FIA certified competition while under the age of 15, they will be ineligible for any Super Licence points in the current and the following two years.
- ^ For 2023 only, Formula 4 South East Asia certified by the FIA is awarded 50% of the points listed in table, on completion of three (3) events using two (2) track layouts, and Formula 4 India certified by the FIA is awarded 100% of the points listed in table, on completion of four (4) events using two (2) track layouts.
- ^ a b c d A driver can accumulate a maximum of 12 points in FIA karting Championships. Points from karting are valid for five years.
Points are awarded according to the applicable regulatory text of the year in which the final championship result has been achieved.[1]
In 2019, for a series to award Super Licence points, a championship season must consist of at least five events spanning at least three different circuits, with alternative circuit configurations considered to be separate circuits. Additionally, if less than sixteen drivers start the first race of an event, the number of points awarded will decrease by 10% per driver below the minimum (90% points if fifteen drivers start, 80% points if fourteen drivers start, etc.). If fewer than sixteen drivers start the first race of multiple events, then the event with the lowest number of drivers will be used for the above calculation.[1]
A driver can earn points from either 1 or 2 series in a calendar year. The results from a maximum of 2 championships can be accumulated from a single calendar year, provided that the start date of the second championship falls after the end date of the first championship during the year in question.[1]
For any season ending in 2020 or 2021 the criteria have decreased from racing five events to three, from three tracks to two and from 16 drivers on the first race to 10.
Drivers may also earn points for:
- 1 point – driving at least 100 km during a Free Practice session for up to 10 points (with one point awarded per World Championship event).
- 2 points – completing an FIA Championship with a penalty points system without receiving any penalty points.
- 3 points – winning the Macau Grand Prix (FR).
- 5 points – winning the Macau Grand Prix (F3).
If multiple drivers complete a season competing in the same car they will be awarded a fraction of their points according to their FIA Driver Categorisation:
- Platinum and Gold ranked drivers – 100% of the points received.
- Silver ranked drivers – 75% of the points received.
- Bronze ranked drivers – 50% of the points received.
- Drivers without a categorisation will be awarded no points.
Free Practice Only Super Licence
[edit]Beginning in the 2019 Formula One season, the FIA introduced a requirement for drivers participating in free practice sessions to hold a stand-alone Free Practice Only Super Licence, with the holding of a standard Super licence not automatically granting a Free Practice Only Super licence. The criteria are as follows:
- A minimum age of 18 at the start of their first F1 competition.
- An existing holder of an International Grade A competition licence.
- Passing of an FIA theory test on knowledge of the F1 sporting codes and regulations when applying for the first time.
- Completion of either six races in Formula 2, or accumulated 25 Super Licence points in eligible championships during the previous three years, when applying for the first time.[b]
Should the three-calendar year period include the year 2020, the FIA will consider the three seasons with most accumulated points in the season out of four seasons.
Renewal, sanctions, and costs
[edit]Probation periods and renewal
[edit]The FIA issue licences subject to a 12-month probation period after first issue which applies to full and free practice licence. At any time during the first 12 months the FIA may review and withdraw a super licence if the standards to continue holding a licence are not being met.
Super Licences are issued on an annual calendar year basis and must be renewed at the end of each year.[1]
Sanctions
[edit]
Drivers accrue penalty points and reprimands on their Super Licence for driving infractions.[5] If a driver accumulates five reprimands over the course of a season, the FIA may impose a grid penalty and penalty points.[6] Since 2014, a total of 12 penalty points in a 12-month period has resulted in a one-race ban.[7] The only race ban to ever be enforced via this methodology was Kevin Magnussen's for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.[8]
Active penalty points
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This table is correct as of the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix.
† Driver has competed in 2024, but not in 2025.
‡ No longer contracted to compete for team.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Gabriel Bortoleto, Pierre Gasly, Isack Hadjar, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc, Kevin Magnussen†, Esteban Ocon, Sergio Pérez†, Logan Sargeant†, Yuki Tsunoda, and Zhou Guanyu† each have zero points.[9]
Costs
[edit]The FIA charges the licence holder an annual fee. According to a report from the BBC, the cost of maintaining a super licence rose by an average of £8,700 in 2009, with an extra charge of €2,100 per point earned in 2008—up from €447 per point in 2007.[11] In 2009, Lewis Hamilton paid £242,000 for his licence for the season.
Increasing the cost of the super licence represented a significant policy shift for the FIA's then-president Max Mosley, who wrote in February 2009 that drivers should "race elsewhere if they were unable to pay for their super licences" in response to reports that drivers were unhappy with the cost of their super licences and even refusing to sign their super licence contracts.[12][13] Later on March 23, after Mosley met with representatives from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, the FIA issued a statement: "Following a very positive meeting between FIA President Max Mosley and representatives of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA), a proposal will be made to the World Motor Sport Council to revise super licence fees for drivers in the 2010 championship".[14]
However, in November 2012, the FIA announced that it would increase the cost of the super licence once again.[15] According to McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh, the proposed increase would lead to a basic fee of €10,000 ($12,800) for the super licence plus €1,000 ($1,280) for each World Championship point.[16] 2009 Formula 1 World Driver's Champion Jenson Button objected to the increase, and expressed his position that all current F1 drivers should pay the same flat fee for their super licences:
Personally I don't feel that we should be paying different super licence fees for different drivers and different point situations. I mean, when you get your licence to drive on the road, because you do more miles you don't pay more for it, do you? And you don't pay more for a licence in any other category because you've got a better car or whatever, so it should be a flat fee.
Button's super licence fee for the 2010 season, based on his 2009 results, were variously reported on, with one source claiming he spent "over a quarter of a million Euros to race that year!" and other sources raising that claim to approximately €1M ($1.28M).[18][19][20]
As of December 2024[update], the basic fee for a super licence is €11,453 with estimates that the per-point fee has also risen to €2313.[21] Max Verstappen reportedly paid over €1M for his 2025 super licence fee, based on his 2024 results.
Nationality of drivers
[edit]The nationality that appears on the racing licence is identical to a driver's passport. This is not necessarily the same as the country issuing the racing licence. A Frenchman living in Germany would receive a licence issued by the German motorsport authorities, but the nationality displayed on the licence would still be French. In order to race with a licence that displays German, the driver would need to have a German passport as well. Drivers with multiple citizenship choose their "official" nationality.[1]
As a result of this rule, several mistakes have occurred on official entry lists and podium ceremonies that were issued or organized by the FIA or race organisers. These include British driver John Watson being mistakenly identified under the Irish nationality by some official Grand Prix entry lists,[22][23] and Eddie Irvine, a British citizen who held a racing licence issued by the National Sporting Authority of the Republic of Ireland, being listed as an Irish national on the official entry lists for the 1995 and 1996 seasons.[24][25] The latter resulted in confusion surrounding Irvine's nationality, with the Irish Tricolour being flown during his podium appearances at the 1995 Canadian Grand Prix, 1996 Australian Grand Prix, 1997 Argentine Grand Prix and 1997 Monaco Grand Prix.
This rule, however, has not been in force since the beginning of the Formula One World Championship. In the past, the choice of nationality was up to the driver. For instance, Jochen Rindt chose to race in Formula One under the Austrian flag despite being born in Germany and not possessing Austrian citizenship, as he competed with a licence issued by the Austrian National Sporting Authority during his career.[26]
Notes
[edit]- ^ For any subsequent applications, the driver's team needs to certify that they have held a briefing about the most important points of the International Sporting Code and of the F1 Sporting Regulations.
- ^ All subsequent applications require the completion of either a full season in Formula 2, or accumulated 25 Super Licence points in eligible championships during the previous three years.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h "Appendix L to the International Sporting Code" (PDF). FIA. 26 February 2025.
- ^ "Reverse engineering clampdown and super licence revisions approved by FIA". www.formula1.com. Formula 1. 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ Collantine, Keith (14 June 2024). "F1 rules change gives Antonelli chance to make debut before he turns 18". racefans.net. Archived from the original on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "Appendix L to the International Sporting Code" (PDF). FIA. 26 February 2025. p. 65.
- ^ Jackson, Kieran (2 June 2025). "F1 penalty points system explained – with Max Verstappen close to race ban". The Independent. ISSN 1741-9743. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Micallef, Catherine; Braybrook, Rebecca (13 May 2024). "F1 penalties: What penalties can drivers receive and how do they get banned?". Autosport. Motorsport Network. ISSN 0269-946X. Archived from the original on 13 June 2024. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Bellwood, Owen; Cobb, Haydn (2 June 2025). "Superlicence penalty points: What are they and how many does each 2025 F1 driver have?". Autosport. Motorsport Network. ISSN 0269-946X. Archived from the original on 2 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Suttill, Josh (1 September 2024). "Magnussen triggers F1 race ban after Monza penalty". The Race. The Race Media. Archived from the original on 28 April 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ a b "How many penalty points does each 2025 F1 driver have?". The Race. The Race Media. 1 June 2025. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ Nichol, Jake (1 June 2025). "F1 2025 – How many FIA penalty points does each driver have?". RacingNews365. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
- ^ "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, which represents the majority of F1 drivers, had expressed its discontent at a hike in fees in 2008.
- ^ Noble, Jonathan (23 January 2009). "Drivers in dispute over superlicence fee". autosport.com. Autosport. Archived from the original on 3 February 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
The decision to reduce the licence cost is a big turnaround for Mosley who, in February, wrote to Formula 1 drivers to suggest they race elsewhere if they were unable to pay for their super licences.
- ^ "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. 24 March 2009. Archived from the original on 29 November 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
A number of other issues were discussed and the FIA has agreed to meet representatives of the GPDA on a regular basis to maintain what promises to be a constructive dialogue.
- ^ "F1 drivers to pay more for their FIA super license". yallaf1.com. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 29 January 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
F1 drivers will also have to contribute, with Eason saying the cost of their super licence is facing "massive hikes".
- ^ Witte Meier, Roman (5 November 2012). "Lizenzgebühren: Wenn Erfolg teuer wird" [Royalties: When success is expensive] (in German). Motorsport-total.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "Button wants flat super licence fee". ESPN F1.com. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
Jenson Button believes all drivers should pay the same amount for their super licence to race in Formula One.
- ^ "Button wants flat super licence fee". ESPN F1.com. 6 November 2012. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
I think I spent over a quarter of a million Euros on my licence to race that year!
- ^ Witte Meier, Roman (5 November 2012). "Lizenzgebühren: Wenn Erfolg teuer wird" [Royalties: When success is expensive] (in German). Motorsport-total.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
When I won the World Cup because it was just really expensive. I had to pay about a million euros, if I remember rightly", said Jenson Button, who won the title in 2009.
- ^ "Motorsports Governing Body FIA Increases License Fees For F1 Drivers' Super License". SportsBusinessDaily Global. 6 November 2012. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
When I won the title, it became really expensive. I had to pay pay an estimated €1M ($1.28M), if I remember correctly.
[dead link] - ^ Coch, Mat (9 December 2024). "Verstappen pockets €300,000 savings on F1 2025 licence". speedcafe.com. SpeedCafe. Archived from the original on 23 January 2025. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "1975 United States Grand Prix Entry list".
- ^ "1979 Dutch Grand Prix Entry list".
- ^ "1995 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List" (PDF). Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 27 January 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2005. Retrieved 1 May 2025.
- ^ "1996 FIA Formula One World Championship Entry List" (PDF). FIA.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 4 December 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2015.
- ^ Heß, Peter (5 September 2010). "Tod eines glücklichen Mannes". faz.net (in German). Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
