Franco Colapinto secures a season-end F1 drive with Williams, narrowly meeting the superlicense requirements.
When it all hinges on… one point! Franco Colapinto’s selection by James Vowles and Williams F1 to finish the season in place of Logan Sargeant was indeed because he proved satisfactory in free practice or in the simulator… but also because he narrowly obtained his superlicense (as Logan Sargeant did at the time of his appointment).
For context, 40 superlicense points (accumulated over three years) are required to race in a Formula 1 Grand Prix. Last July, Colapinto just reached a total… of 40 points.
“We feel he is ready to race,” former Williams F1 boss Jost Capito said about Colapinto in 2022, “provided he has enough superlicense points after Abu Dhabi, he will be our second driver next year.”
Let’s clarify: how did Colapinto secure his crucial credential by a hair?
Firstly… thanks to Covid. The exceptions put in place by the pandemic indeed benefited the Argentine. Many series in 2020 and 2021 were disrupted, even cancelled.
To compensate, the FIA enacted the following rule. Three years are still counted, but the worst year of the last four is neutralized: “If the three-year calendar period… includes the calendar year 2021, the FIA will take into account the greatest number of points accumulated over three of the four calendar years immediately preceding the year of the application date…”
And this rule greatly benefited Colapinto. His worst year (2022) was discarded and not included in the total. In 2022, he indeed finished 9th in F3 (earning only 3 points towards his Superlicense).
Thus, his 2022 season was effectively erased, and instead his 2020 season was considered. That year, the Williams F1 driver had earned 17 points (two 3rd places, in Toyota Racing Series and Formula Renault Eurocup).
17 points versus 3, the math is simple. Without the Covid exception, Colapinto would not be an F1 driver today.
In 2021, he also finished 4th in ELMS, but couldn’t add these 4 points to his tally, the competition taking place in the same time interval as the FREC (where he earned 5 points).
To this total are added the 15 points earned last year, in F3, thanks to his 4th place in the championship.
Additionally, 2 decisive points were gained through an obscure regulation. Indeed, in F3, if a driver completes an entire championship without receiving a penalty point on his license, he earns two additional points on his license. This was absolutely crucial for Colapinto, whose wisdom on the track is thus rewarded.
The tests conducted with Williams F1 were also decisive. Colapinto didn’t earn a superlicense point after completing over 300 kilometers (65 laps) at the young drivers’ test in Abu Dhabi last year, but it’s a condition to be eligible as a race driver.
Finally, Colapinto participated in EL1 at Silverstone this year. A run that earned him a point and also counts for this year 2024.
Total points earned by Colapinto:
2020, 17 points. 12 (Formula Renault Eurocup) + 5 (Toyota Racing Series)
2021: 5 points. (Formula Regional European Championship)
2022: not counted (Covid exception, 2020 counted instead)
2023: 17 points. Comprising 15 (4th in Formula 3) + 2 points for good behavior
2024: 1 point (EL1 at Silverstone).
Total: 40 points
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Narrow Win: Colapinto Earns Crucial F1 Spot Narrow Win: Colapinto Earns Crucial F1 Spot
