IndyCar To Get A Free(r) Pass Into F1? FIA Boosts Superlicense Points Allocation

Last Updated:December 11, 2025, 08:54 IST

FIA boosts superlicence points for IndyCar drivers finishing third to ninth from 2026, aiding Colton Herta and others in their path to Formula One amid rising US interest.

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IndyCar stars just got a clearer runway to Formula One.

The FIA, on Wednesday, approved a long-awaited tweak to its superlicence system, increasing the number of ranking points available to drivers finishing between third and ninth in the U.S.-based series.

To race in F1, drivers need 40 superlicence points across three years. Until now, only the IndyCar champion earned that tally in one shot, with 30 going to the runner-up — a setup many in American motorsport have long blasted as unfair compared to junior series like Formula Two.

The FIA says the updated structure, which kicks in from 2026, “reflects the growing significance" of IndyCar. And with F1 booming stateside, three U.S. Grands Prix, and Cadillac joining the grid as the 11th team next season, the timing is no coincidence.

Herta’s Dilemma

The change also shines a spotlight on Colton Herta, a nine-time IndyCar race winner who will race in Formula Two next year while also serving as a Cadillac test driver.

Herta previously fell short of the superlicence threshold despite his IndyCar success — a situation many saw as proof the FIA undervalued the series.

Under the new rules? Herta would be much closer.

Arrow McLaren boss Tony Kanaan welcomed the update, telling Motorsport.com: “It’s good news for IndyCar and good for the drivers in the series if they do want to race in F1. An IndyCar driver shouldn’t need to go to a feeder series to prove they’ve got what it takes to compete in any other series."

(with Reuters inputs)

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