The super licence
To race in Formula 1, a driver needs a super licence issued by the FIA. The main hurdle is points: most drivers need at least 40 super licence points from results in junior and other racing series over the previous three seasons.
The system exists so that only drivers with a proven record reach F1. It was tightened in 2016, after Max Verstappen made his debut aged 17 with just one season of car racing behind him. Verstappen did fine, but the FIA wanted to stop teams promoting drivers who weren't ready, whether for their talent or their sponsorship money.
What a driver needs
To get a super licence for the first time, a driver must:
- be at least 18 at the start of their first F1 event (the FIA can make an exception for a 17-year-old in exceptional cases)
- already hold an FIA International Grade A licence
- pass a test on the F1 sporting regulations
- have completed at least 80% of two full seasons in single-seater championships
- have driven at least 300 km in a recent F1 car at racing speed, usually in testing
- have at least 40 super licence points
How the points work
Points are awarded for championship finishing positions, and the amount depends on the series. The higher the level, the more each result is worth.
| Series | Champion | 2nd | 3rd | 5th | 10th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formula 2 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 3 |
| IndyCar | 40 | 30 | 25 | 15 | 1 |
| Formula 3 | 30 | 25 | 20 | 12 | 2 |
| Formula E | 30 | 25 | 20 | 8 | 1 |
| Super Formula (Japan) | 30 | 25 | 20 | 12 | 2 |
| Formula Regional European | 25 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 0 |
| F1 Academy | 10 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
The top three in Formula 2 get 40 points each, enough for a licence in one go. That's why a top-three F2 finish is the usual route into F1. Many other series award points too, including other regional formulas, Formula 4, sports car racing and karting.
A few smaller sources of points exist:
- 1 point for each free practice session where a driver covers at least 100 km, up to 10 points in total
- 2 points for finishing a season in an FIA championship without picking up any penalty points
Points count from the three most recent seasons. For a series to count, it has to have enough events and enough cars, so drivers can't build up points in a weak, thinly supported championship.
The free practice licence
There's a lighter version called the free practice super licence. It lets a driver take part in practice sessions but not race. Teams use it for young drivers doing the compulsory rookie sessions. To get one, a driver needs either 25 super licence points or six Formula 2 races, along with the age, licence and test requirements.
Keeping a licence
Once a driver has a super licence, they can renew it each year as long as they've stayed active. A driver who has been away from F1 for a few seasons may need to show recent running in an F1 car before the FIA will renew it.
The licence also carries penalty points. These are separate from the points that earn the licence, and are handed out by the stewards for driving offences. Twelve penalty points in 12 months means an automatic one-race ban. See penalty points and race bans.
It costs money
Drivers pay the FIA for their licence each year. There's a basic fee, plus an amount for every championship point the driver scored the season before. That means the world champion usually pays the most, and for a dominant season the bill can run to well over €1 million.