Explained, what is the FIA Super License, how drivers may obtain the necessary 40 points to race in F1 and the 2023 holders and cost
To compete in the highest level of motorsport, Formula 1 drivers must possess valid FIA “Super Licences.” How do drivers obtain a super licence, and what does it entail?
Drivers competing in Formula 1 must possess current FIA Super Licences, which are awarded by the sport’s governing body, to maintain a specific standard of the racing driver (and to assure the safety of everyone engaged in a race!).
F1 FIA Super License 2023 fee cost, holders, points, what is it explained
F1 DRIVER SUPER LICENCE FEES FOR 2023
| Driver | Points scored in 2022 | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Verstappen | 454 | €963,800 |
| Leclerc | 308 | €657,200 |
| Perez | 305 | €650,900 |
| Russell | 275 | €587,900 |
| Sainz | 246 | €527,000 |
| Hamilton | 240 | €514,400 |
| Norris | 122 | €266,600 |
| Ocon | 92 | €203,600 |
| Alonso | 81 | €180,500 |
| Bottas | 49 | €113,300 |
| Magnussen | 25 | €62,900 |
| Gasly | 23 | €58,700 |
| Stroll | 18 | €48,200 |
| Tsunoda | 12 | €35,600 |
| Zhou | 6 | €23,000 |
| Albon | 4 | €18,800 |
| De Vries | 2 | €14,600 |
| Hulkenberg | 0 | €10,400 |
| Piastri | 0 | €10,400 |
| Sergeant | 0 | €10,400 |
The FIA issues numerous levels of licences that let drivers compete in FIA-sanctioned categories, but the highest level, known as the “Super Licence,” has the most demanding specifications for F1.
The International Sports Code (ISC), Appendix L, Article 13.1 outlines the severe standards of the FIA that applicants must meet to even be eligible to apply for such a licence (2022).
What qualifications are required for an FIA Super Licence?
The following criteria must be met, according to the ISC, for drivers who want to apply for a Super Licence:
- The first day of a driver’s debut GP weekend, or the first day of their first F1 competition, requires that the driver be at least 18 years old.
- A current owner of an International Grade A competition licence is required (this licence is valid for single-seaters and prototypes with a weight/power ratio of less than or equal to 1 kg/hp).
- They must possess a legitimate driver’s licence (just a regular, everyday licence).
- To prove their understanding of the various F1 laws and regulations, they must pass an FIA theory test.
- They must have finished at least 80% of each of the two complete single-seater championship seasons.
- They must have accrued a minimum of 40 points of super licence weighting.
How do drivers earn the 40 points necessary for a Super Licence?
The FIA will add up the driver’s points from the three most recent years before the application year to determine whether the driver has earned the necessary 40 points.
Alternatively, the FIA may add the sum of the two years before the year of application and the sum of the year of application; whichever sum is higher will determine if the driver is eligible.
Is anyone else who qualifies?
Once they’ve covered at least 100 kilometres during a free practice session at a Grand Prix in any of the three years before the application, drivers who previously held a Super Licence and are returning to the sport (Robert Kubica, for example, who spent more than five years without driving an F1 car after a rallying crash in 2011) may be considered for a Super Licence once more.
Moreover, drivers who received a super licence but haven’t used it in the three most recent seasons are eligible to apply.