FIA Super Licence

The FIA Super Licence is a driver's qualification allowing the holder to compete in the Formula One World Championship.

Requirements

Super Licence

To qualify for an FIA Racing Super Licence an applicant must meet the requirements of the FIA's International Sporting Code, Appendix L,[1] Which states:

1. A minimum age of 18
2. An existing holder of an International Grade A competition licence
3. A holder of a full and valid road car driving licence for the country listed as the driver's nationality which has not been suspended, withdrawn, revoked, or in any other way prevents the holder from driving a motor car on public roads.
4. Passing of an FIA theory test on knowledge of the F1 sporting codes and regulations.
5. Completed at least 80% of each of two full seasons of any of the single-seater Championships reported in Supplement 1 of the regulations
6. Accumulated at least 40 points over the previous three seasons in any combination of the championships reported in Supplement 1 of the regulations

Provided a driver has previously held a super licence they do not have to meet these requirements, a driver who has held a valid super licence for any of the previous three seasons is eligible for a new licence, if the driver has previously held a super licence but has not held a valid licence within the previous three years issue is subject to completion of 300 km at race speeds in representative F1 car over no more than two days, either as part of a test certified by a national racing authority or as part of an official F1 session. This must be completed no more than 180 days before their application.[1]

As of 2019, 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^1	40	30	20	10	8	6	4	3	2	1
FIA Formula 3 Championship	30	25	20	10	8	6	4	3	2	1
FIA Formula E Championship
European Formula 3 Championship (folded 2018, expires post-2021)
FIA World Endurance Championship LMP1	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
GP3 Series (folded 2018, expires post-2021)
FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2	20	16	12	10	8	6	4	2	0	0
Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters	20	16	12	10	7	5	3	2	1	0
Super GT
World Series Formula V8 3.5 (folded 2017, expires post-2020)	20	15	10	8	6	4	3	2	1	0
F3 Asian Championship	18	14	12	10	6	4	3	2	1	0
F3 Americas Championship
IMSA Prototypes^1	18	14	10	8	6	4	2	1	0	0
World Touring Car Cup	15	12	10	7	5	3	2	1	0	0
Supercars Championship
NASCAR Cup Series^1
Indy Lights^1
Formula Renault Eurocup
W Series
Euroformula Open
Super Formula Lights
Formula 4 Championships	12	10	7	5	3	2	1	0	0	0
Asian Le Mans Series Prototypes	10	8	6	4	2	0	0	0	0	0
European Le Mans Series Prototypes
FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE Pro
FIA World Endurance Championship LMGTE Am
F3 Asian Championship Winter Series	10	7	5	3	1	0	0	0	0	0
National Formula 3 Championships
Formula Mazda^1
NASCAR Xfinity Series^1
Toyota Racing Series
International GT3 Series	6	4	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FIA Karting World Championships Senior	4	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
FIA Karting Continental Championships Senior	3	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
FIA Karting World Championships Junior
FIA Karting Continental Championships Junior	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Source:[2]

^1 Subject to 'road course' rounds being held on FIA-homologated circuits (See List of motor racing circuits by FIA Grade for a full list).

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, a series must have at least 12 drivers compete at any event and a minimum of 16 drivers compete across a season to meet the criteria for full points – a series with 12 or more drivers per event and between 12–15 over the course of a season will award 75% points, and a series with entry lists of 11 competitors or lower will not be eligible for points. A driver can earn points from either 1 or 2 series in a calendar year. Championships, such as the 2019 F3 Asian Winter Series, may be set aside points but cannot award them if the championship season does not meet this criteria.[3]

Free Practice Only Super Licence

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:

1. A minimum age of 18
2. An existing holder of an International Grade A competition licence
3. Completion of either six races in Formula 2, or accumulated 25 Super Licence points in eligible championships during the previous three years.

Renewal, sanctions, and costs

Probation periods and renewal

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

The FIA have a series of sanctions which can be placed on a driver's Super Licence which are in the form of reprimands and penalty points. If a driver accumulated three reprimands over the course of a season the FIA may impose penalty points. If a driver accumulates 12 or more penalty points in a 12-month period they will receive a one race ban for the next event they are scheduled to participate in and a reserve driver may not be substituted in their place. The issuing of penalty points is not subject to reprimands being issued as a pre-requisite.[1]

Costs

The FIA charges the licence holder an annual fee. According to a report on the BBC, the cost of a super licence rose by an average £8,700 in 2009, and there was an extra charge of €2,100 per point earned in 2008—up from €447 per point in 2007.[4] In 2009, Lewis Hamilton would pay £242,000 for his licence for the season.

Reducing the cost of the super licence represented a significant policy shift for FIA's then-president Max Mosley, who wrote to Formula 1 drivers in February 2009 suggesting that they "race elsewhere if they were unable to pay for their super licences."[5] After Mosley met with representatives from the Grand Prix Drivers' Association (GPDA) on March 23, 2009, 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".[6]

In November 2012, however, FIA announced it would again increase the cost of the super licence.[7] 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.[8] 2009 Formula 1 World Driver's Champion Jenson Button objected, 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.

— Jenson Button, [9]

Button's total super licensing costs for the 2010 season, based on his 2009 results, were variously reported as over a quarter of a million Euros by one source[10] and approximately €1M ($1.28M) by others.[11][12]

Nationality of drivers

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.[13]

References

1. "Appendix L to the International Sporting Code". FIA. June 18, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2018.
2. "APPENDIX L - INTERNATIONAL DRIVERS' LICENCES, MEDICAL EXAMINATIONS, DRIVER'S EQUIPMENT AND CONDUCT - 18 MARCH 2019 UPDATE (Page 45)". FIA. Retrieved 18 March 2019.
3. "Ticktum F1 superlicence bid thwarted by eligibility rule". Motorsport.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2019. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
4. "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. March 24, 2009. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. The Grand Prix Drivers' Association, which represents the majority of F1 drivers, had expressed its discontent at a hike in fees in 2008.
5. "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. March 24, 2009. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 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.
6. "F1 set to cut super-licence fee". BBC. March 24, 2009. Archived from the original on November 29, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 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.
7. "F1 drivers to pay more for their FIA super license". yallaf1.com. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. F1 drivers will also have to contribute, with Eason saying the cost of their super licence is facing “massive hikes”.
8. "Motorsports Governing Body FIA Increases License Fees For F1 Drivers' Super License". SportsBusinessDaily Global. November 6, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013. Whitmarsh shows understanding for FIA's "idea of increasing its revenue" in that manner.
9. "Button wants flat super licence fee". ESPN F1.com. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. Jenson Button believes all drivers should pay the same amount for their super licence to race in Formula One.
10. "Button wants flat super licence fee". ESPN F1.com. November 6, 2012. Archived from the original on February 16, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013. I think I spent over a quarter of a million Euros on my licence to race that year!
11. Witte Meier, Roman (November 5, 2012). "Royalties: When success is expensive". Motorsport-total.com. Retrieved February 17, 2013. 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.
12. "Motorsports Governing Body FIA Increases License Fees For F1 Drivers' Super License". SportsBusinessDaily Global. November 6, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2013. When I won the title, it became really expensive. I had to pay pay an estimated €1M ($1.28M), if I remember correctly.
13. "FIA International Sporting Code" (PDF). FIA.com. Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile. 13 October 2013. p. 34. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015. 9.5.2 All Drivers, irrespective of the nationality of their Licence, participating in any FIA World Championship Competition, shall retain the nationality of their passport in all official documents, publications and prize‐giving ceremonies.

External links

• Official FIA website
• FIA F1 Sporting Regulations, Appendix L 2013 - International Drivers' licences, medical examinations, driver's equipment and conduct (published January 24, 2013)