The FIA has launched a brand new superlicence factors allocation for IndyCar forward of the 2026 season.
IndyCar’s factors allocation had been a degree of competition for years, with many within the sequence’ paddock believing it was not beneficiant sufficient.
As was the case beforehand, the highest 10 finishers within the IndyCar championship will probably be awarded superlicence factors; nevertheless, the allocation will probably be 40-30-25-20-15-10-8-6-3-1 as an alternative of 40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3-2-1.
The change reinforces IndyCar’s standing as F1’s second ‘feeder sequence’ by way of superlicence factors, behind Method 2 (40-40-40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3) and forward of Method 3 (30-25-20-15-12-9-7-5-3-2), although IndyCar’s goal is to not act as a springboard to the world championship.
Colton Herta, Andretti International
Picture by: Gavin Baker / Lumen through Getty Photos
Superlicence eligibility beforehand was a stumbling block to Colton Herta’s mooted F1 debut at AlphaTauri in 2023, as he had simply 32 superlicence factors to his title after successively taking seventh, third and fifth in IndyCar from 2019 to 2021.
With the brand new allocation, Herta would have had 48 superlicence factors, crossing the eligibility threshold of 40 factors. The change gained’t matter to him as Cadillac’s new F1 take a look at driver is shifting to F2 for 2026 and aiming at a 2027 F1 seat.
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Primarily based on the final three IndyCar seasons, the one eligible drivers can be Alex Palou, who scored 120 superlicence factors with three consecutive titles; Scott Dixon, who bought 56 factors with second, sixth and third; Pato O’Ward, who collected 48 factors with fourth, fifth and second; Scott McLaughlin, on 41 factors with third, third and tenth.
The brand new allocation will affect factors scored from 2026 onwards. Nonetheless, had it been carried out retroactively, it apparently wouldn’t have awarded the superlicence to any extra drivers over the 2023-2025 interval: Palou (120pts), Dixon (65pts), O’Ward (65pts) and McLaughlin (51pts).
The closest driver beneath the edge, Herta on 35 factors, would nonetheless come brief with 39.
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