With modern Grand Prix racing and driver safety taking shape, the FIA has massively overhauled and strengthened the F1 superlicense regulations. If today’s guidelines prevailed, 4 icons of the sport, including the likes of Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen would have missed out on their debuts, per F1 photojournalist, Kym Illman.
According to the Australian, 2x champion Alonso would have missed out by 10 points, in terms of the minimum number of points needed to be accrued during the junior categories. Daniel Ricciardo, too, would have missed out by a slim margin of just 2 points. That’s not all though. two Red Bull legends would not have been able to make their F1 debuts, if the FIA had had their way.
Illman took to his YouTube channel to discuss the superlicense fees and regulations the drivers would have to face in 2024. During the video, he explained,
“Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen would also have failed to meet all the three criteria, that is – age, years of racing and points accrued.”
Despite their monumental talents, the FIA’s attitude towards not relaxing the restrictions for anyone, would have meant that all four drivers would have actually not been able to compete in Formula 1. The most recent example of this is when the FIA refused to accommodate Red Bull when they wanted to sign IndyCar sensation, Colton Herta.
As it turns out, though, it is Max Verstappen’s debut, aged 17, in 2015 that actually led to tightening up of the rules.
How Max Verstappen forced the FIA to change their dated superlicense rules
Back in 2015 when Red Bull decided to give Verstappen a shot at F1, the Dutchman was only 17 years old. Strapped into a Toro Rosso, the now 26-year-old did not even have a driver’s license but was able to qualify for a superlicense to compete at the very pinnacle of motor racing.
Verstappen’s entry into the sport really opened the FIA’s eyes. Since then, a strict rule has been put in place by the governing body of Formula 1 that dictates that for a valid superlicense, one has to earn the driving license of their respective nationality. Verstappen back in 2015, did not have a Dutch license.
F1 drivers require at least 40 points to qualify for a superlicense. However, the FIA only hands out the required 40 points to the IndyCar champion. Hence, for any IndyCar driver to be eligible to race in F1, they must win the IndyCar championship. While this does sound straightforward, it affects the other talented drivers (like Herta) who miss out on the final prize.
