“Are we saying we shouldn’t have had Kimi Raikkonen?” – $250 million race driver’s meteoric rise sparks Colton Herta debate

Damon Hill criticises FIA’s Super Licence points which allowed Kimi Raikkonen to enter F1 but disallowed Colton Herta’s entry in 2022.

In 2001, a young Finn named Kimi Raikkonen is signed by Peter Sauber for the 2001 season. The 21-year-old was signed by Sauber after a successful year in Formula Renault where he won 7 out of 10 races.

However, FIA president Max Mosely was reluctant to hand an F1 Super Licence to the inexperienced Finn. However, after Sauber gave the FIA a performance delivery promise, Kimi was allowed to race in F1.

He’d go on to secure a point in his F1 debut in the 2001 Australian GP. He’d go on to win 21 races, 103 podiums and 349 race starts. And in 2007 Kimi will win the 2007 F1 World Championship title with Ferrari.

However, this story wouldn’t have been possible if Kimi had entered F1 in 2022. Recently Colton Herta was denied a chance to race in F1 because of not having enough points in his super license.

AlphaTauri was targeting to sign Herta after Alpine showed interest in signing Pierre Gasly. But Herta had only 32 points to his name instead of the required 40 to be eligible to race in F1. This meant he could not race in F1 and AlphaTauri halted talks with the driver.

 

Touring Car racer Rickard Rydell criticised the inability of drivers in other competitions to switch to F1. He said, “I think F1 should be impartial and look at other series. Of course, they have to promote F2 and F3. But 1st, 2nd and 3rd in Indycar should have the same points as in F2.”

He added, “I think rules should be rules. But when something is wrong, you have to look at it and rectify it.” And this reignited the debate regarding the fairness of FIA’s Superlicense points.

Also Read: 2020 F2 runner-up settles F2 vs Indycar Debate as Colton Herta eyes AlphaTauri seat

Kimi Raikkonen was lucky to race in F1

Many former F1 drivers have made it to F1 without meeting the current Super Licence requirements. This also includes former Champions like Max Verstappen and Kimi Raikkonen.

The FIA made the entry requirements stricter after Verstappen debuted in F1 at the age of 15. That is before he even had a driver’s licence to drive a Road Legal car.

Damon Hill said, “We have had loads of cases like Kimi Raikkonen coming straight from Formula Renault to F1. Are we saying we shouldn’t have had Kimi in F1?”

Former 1996 World Champion Damon Hill says FIA must allow talent from other leagues to drive in F1 if they are worth it. And not all drivers must go through the F3-F2 route to enter the sport.

Most drivers came in support of Colton Herta after FIA denied an exception to the driver. This included some ex-F1 drivers. Damon said, “Most drivers would regard an IndyCar driver as way more accomplished than someone in F2.”

Currently, only the winners of IndyCar are awarded 40 points. While 2nd and 3rd placed drivers only receive 30 and 20. While all the top 3 F2 drivers get 40 points.

This disparity has stifled drivers from other leagues to move to F1. And Hill believes talent must be the only requirement for F1. A driver’s age and racing category must not be criteria.

Also Read: How Max Verstappen stopped Colton Herta from getting AlphaTauri seat