The FIA’s up to date modifications of the superlicense factors allocation to the IndyCar Sequence championship forward of the 2026 season has been welcomed by a number of within the paddock, together with Arrow McLaren workforce principal Tony Kanaan.
The FIA World Motor Sport Council concluded its closing assembly for 2025 on Wednesday, making a number of modifications throughout a number of sequence that additionally impacted North America’s premier open-wheel championship.
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Beforehand, the highest 10 within the IndyCar championship had been awarded superlicense factors from first to tenth as follows: 40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3-2-1. Nevertheless, the up to date modifications will now see first to tenth allotted 40-30-25-20-15-10-8-6-3-1.
This brings IndyCar’s standing nearer to Formulation 1 as a ‘feeder sequence’ by way of hitting the required 40 superlicense factors over a three-year span, remaining behind Formulation 2 (40-40-40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3) and forward of Formulation 3 (30-25-20-15-12-9-7-5-3-2).
Kanaan reacts to FIA superlicense change
Tony Kanaan
Photograph by: Gregg Feistman / Motorsport Pictures
“Nobody doubts that IndyCar is among the best racing sequence on the earth, and I’m glad the FIA is acknowledging that by rising the factors to be extra corresponding to F2,” Kanaan mentioned, by way of a press release despatched to Motorsport.com.
“It’s excellent news for IndyCar and good for the drivers within the sequence in the event that they do need to race in F1. An IndyCar driver shouldn’t have to go to a feeder sequence to show they’ve received what it takes to compete in every other sequence.”
Though Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward additionally serves as McLaren F1’s reserve and take a look at driver (and just lately pushed in FP1 outings in Mexico and Abu Dhabi this 12 months), Kanaan is probably going referencing Colton Herta.
Herta has been among the many shortlist of drivers extremely touted within the IndyCar paddock since coming onto the scene on the finish of 2018, and turning into the youngest race winner in 2019 (at 18 years, 11 months and 25 days previous). Nevertheless, his eligibility for a superlicense has been tough. A possible F1 debut for AlphaTauri in 2023 was halted resulting from having 32 superlicense factors regardless of ending seventh, third and fifth within the title race from 2019-21.
The 25-year-old Herta went into the 2025 season with 31 superlicense factors and, below the FIA’s earlier standards, wanted to complete fourth within the championship or fifth with an FP1 look.
Regardless of Herta falling wanting that objective and ending up seventh within the title race, he was nonetheless introduced into Cadillac’s F1 workforce, albeit a take a look at driver. He additionally left IndyCar on the finish of the 12 months to run F2 with Hitech in pursuit of securing sufficient superlicense factors for a shot at an F1 seat in 2027. He must both end eighth, however might additionally safe it with tenth together with a number of free apply appearances.
Solely Alex Palou (120 factors), Scott Dixon (56 factors), O’Ward (48 factors) and Scott McLaughlin (41 factors) are eligible based mostly on outcomes from the previous three seasons. The up to date modifications will solely affect factors scored from 2026 onwards.
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