General
Antonelli decision by FIA guarantees hassle in Formula One
- Ludo van Denderen
His name was not mentioned in the FIA's announcement. Yet the motorsport federation's decision to allow an 'exceptional' driver to compete in Formula 1 as early as the age of 17 in the future was taken purely with Andrea Kimi Antonelli in mind. The FIA decided to change their own rules, resulting in a guaranteed hassle in Formula 1 in due course.
The Williams team had asked the FIA a few weeks ago whether it was at all possible for Kimi Antonelli to make his debut in Formula 1 before his eighteenth birthday. Indeed, after Max Verstappen made his debut as a 16-year-old, the governing federation tightened the rules: drivers had to be at least 18-years-old and in possession of a super licence. But then, suddenly, there is a new talent who has yet to turn 18, and the rules are about to be changed again.
The FIA's new rule
The super licence is no longer a requirement, an exception to the minimum age is now possible: "Only if the FIA approves can a driver, who has recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding skill and maturity in a championship with formula cars, be awarded a super licence at the age of 17," is the rule now.
In other words, someone - it is not mentioned who exactly - will soon assess every request from F1 teams as to whether a 17-year-old driver (or even younger?) is good enough to race in Formula 1? And what criteria will be tested, as "a constant demonstration of outstanding skill and maturity" is pretty arbitrary. In Formula 2 so far, has Kimi Antonelli demonstrated all this? He has yet to stand on the podium of any F2 race, failed to achieve pole position in this class. So is he good enough after all? Yes, he is reigning champion in FRECA, but that is still below F3.
What if Red Bull were to propose that Arvid Lindblad (16) wanted to transfer from Formula 3 to Visa Cash App RB? The young Briton is doing fine in his debut season, even winning a race already and competing for the title. Perhaps Lindblad is even more entitled to F1 than Antonelli, who says? That very fact - how do you determine if someone is good enough? - is a guarantee of hassle. In fact, the door has been opened here to the situation with Verstappen. Because if an F1 team says someone is good enough for F1, who is the FIA to contradict it.
Scepticism in IndyCar
In America, it has all been met with scepticism. Colton Herta - who has competed at the front in IndyCar for years - was denied a super licence in '22 because he had not accumulated enough points in the US championship. But surely he also demonstrated outstanding skill and maturity in a championship with formula cars?