IndyCar drivers handed major boost to join F1 after new FIA decision

The American open-wheel series, which for years has served as a subtle feeder series for drivers with ambitions for Formula 1, will see more super licence points awarded to its top 10 drivers’ finishes from the 2026 campaign.

From next season, the IndyCar series will award super licence points to its top 10 finishers in the following order: 40-30-25-20-15-10-8-6-3-1, up from the previous system of 40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3-2-1, which had been a significant topic of discussion in recent years.

This change makes the IndyCar series a more appealing option for drivers harbouring ambitions of racing in Formula 1, as it will now be second only to Formula 2 in terms of super licence points allocation.

Currently, the F2 series awards points in the following order: 40-40-40-30-20-10-8-6-4-3 for drivers finishing in the top 10 at the end of the season.

Super licence points have proven to be a stumbling block for several IndyCar drivers hoping to move to Formula 1, including Colton Herta, who recently joined Cadillac as a reserve driver. The nine-time IndyCar race winner had a rumoured move to AlphaTauri in 2023 fall through due to a deficit in the required points on his super licence.

With this new adjustment, however, several drivers from the open-wheel racing series, including Scott McLaughlin and Scott Dixon, will now be eligible to compete in Formula 1.

Earlier, the Cadillac F1 outfit announced that Herta will race for the Hitech TGR team in his debut Formula 2 campaign.

The California native, who has developed into one of the most recognised faces in IndyCar, will race with the F2 outfit ahead of a possible move to F1 in the future.

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