For an F1 driver, obtaining a Super License is also a threshold they must cross. Today, let’s talk about the FIA Super License. As we know, F1 is an extreme sport that requires the highest standards in safety, professionalism, and fairness. For drivers, the Super License is the essential qualification to become a full-fledged F1 driver.
So why is the Super License necessary? First and foremost: safety. If just anyone could sit in an F1 cockpit, the risks of racing would be uncontrollable. The primary purpose of the Super License is to ensure that drivers have sufficient driving skills, racing experience, and understanding of the rules, thereby protecting the safety of all participants.
Secondly, it ensures the sporting level of competition. The Super License acts as a filter, making sure that only drivers with true talent, experience, and ability can enter F1. Lastly, it brings greater regulation to the sport. The FIA needs a unified and transparent system to manage drivers, and the Super License is the core of this system. It sets standardized qualification criteria and behavioral codes, ensuring professionalism and order within the sport.
If you happen to be exceptionally talented, well-supported financially, and want to climb step by step to obtain this license, what efforts are required? According to the current FIA International Sporting Code, Appendix L, there are several basic conditions. First, you must be at least 18 years old, unless you demonstrate extraordinary ability and maturity—in that case, you may apply to the FIA for an exemption at 17.
The second requirement is that you must hold an International Grade A license. This means you must start from the national C-level, advance through national to international levels, from International C to International A. You must also pass tests on the International Sporting Code and key F1 regulations to prove you are familiar with race rules.
Finally, you need to participate in at least two full seasons of designated championships, such as F2, F3, or Formula E, to accumulate sufficient experience. In addition to these basic requirements, the most important factor is points. The FIA has designed a complex points system, requiring you to earn at least 40 points in approved championships within the three years prior to applying for a Super License.
This rule, along with the age restriction, was introduced because of Max Verstappen. In 2015, Verstappen, under 18, jumped directly from F3 to Red Bull’s junior team, becoming the youngest driver in F1 history. Although he was exceptionally talented, this unprecedented promotion carried potential risks, so the FIA introduced clearer regulations.
The points system assigns weight to different levels of championships. For example, F2 is the most direct stepping stone to F1—its champion earns 40 points outright. The F3 champion receives 30 points. Additionally, drivers can gain points by participating in free practice sessions: each 100 km driven earns 1 point, up to a maximum of 10.
Even after meeting all the requirements and obtaining a Super License, it is not permanent. You must first go through a 12-month probationary period, during which serious violations may lead to revocation. For instance, former Super Aguri driver Yuji Ide lost his license due to lack of ability and dangerous driving.
Moreover, maintaining a Super License requires a hefty annual fee, including a base fee and additional charges per championship point. For the 2024 season, the base fee was €11,453, and each point cost €2,313, meaning Verstappen had to pay over €1 million to maintain his Super License.
In races, drivers must also avoid accumulating penalty points on their license. Incidents such as unnecessary collisions, unsafe driving, repeated track limit violations, ignoring yellow/red flags, or unsporting behavior can result in warnings, reprimands, time penalties, disqualification, and penalty points.
Zhou Guanyu, for example, caused a collision at the start of the 2023 Hungarian GP, receiving a 5-second penalty and 2 penalty points. Each penalty point remains valid for 12 months. If a driver accumulates 12 penalty points within any 12-month period, they are automatically suspended for one race.
So far, only the “penalty king” Kevin Magnussen has reached this limit. After receiving penalties at the Italian GP last year, he was suspended for the following Azerbaijan GP, replaced by Oliver Bearman. At the 2024 Spanish GP, Verstappen’s reckless actions pushed his total to 11 points—just one short of a suspension. Two of these points came from a collision with Lando Norris at the Austrian GP, which expire on June 30 this year. That means, before then, if he is penalized again in the next two races, he would face a one-race suspension, becoming only the second driver in history to be suspended under this rule.
🛒 Shop Now & Choose your F1 Model！
