The FIA has announced changes to the mandatory requirements for drivers looking to obtain a superlicence to compete in Formula 1 practice sessions from 2018.
Before, a driver simply had to complete a full race distance of 300km over two days in a representative F1 car with the governing body factoring in the knowledge of the sporting code and the level of performance shown in other single-seater categories.
Now, however, a minimum of six Formula 2 appearances or 25 superlicence points accumulated over three years are needed along with the criteria used prior to qualify for the practice-only superlicence.
To renew the licence the same 25 points over three years applies or a full season competing in F2 will be enough to fulfil the FIA’s requirements along with a team briefing on the sporting regulations.
This is part of a push to force more drivers through the full motorsport ladder rather than making the large jumps that Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll made from European F3 to F1 at 17 and 18 years old respectively.
That category, along with WEC and Formula E, was downgraded in an altered superlicence points system which was tilted more heavily towards F2 with 40 points the minimum number needed over three years to obtain a race licence in F1.
Should the current system have been in place this year, Force India’s Alfonso Celis Jr. would have been the only driver not permitted, Sean Gelael’s F2 experience sufficient for his outings with Toro Rosso and George Russell’s European F3 results creating enough superlicence points to run at Force India as his GP3 championship would not have counted.