Being fast is not enough to race in Formula 1. Before a driver can even sit in a car on a Grand Prix grid, they need an FIA Super Licence, the most exclusive and hardest-to-earn driving licence in the world. At any given time, only around twenty people on the planet hold one. Here is what it is, and the demanding points system a driver has to conquer to get one.
What is the Super Licence?
The Super Licence is the FIA's official permit to compete in Formula 1. It exists for one main reason: safety. F1 cars are extraordinarily fast and dangerous, and the sport does not want inexperienced or unproven drivers on the grid, however much money or talent they might have. The licence is the gatekeeper that makes sure everyone racing has earned their place.
