The FIA has updated Appendix L of the International Sporting Code to allow 17-year-old drivers to be provided special dispensation to be granted a full or free practice only Super Licence at its discretion.

By Juan Arroyo

The relevant article within the ISC that covers the full Super Licence granted to drivers in order to enter F1 events, the renumbered 13.1.2, has a newly added provision that reads, “At the sole discretion of the FIA, a driver judged to have recently and consistently demonstrated outstanding ability and maturity in single-seater formula car competition may be granted at the age of 17 years old.”

A similar modification was made to article 13.2.2, through which the FIA can also grant a Free Practice Only Super Licence to any 17-year-old driver who meets the above criteria at the governing body’s discretion.

The updated requirements would allow Mercedes junior Kimi Antonelli, who is expected to be racing for the team as soon as next season, to participate in free practice sessions before turning 18 years old on Sunday, 25 August – a week prior to this year’s Italian Grand Prix – should he qualify for the FIA’s criteria.

Per the regulations, any driver granted a Super Licence would still not be allowed to enter their first official F1 event until they are 18 years old.

The updates – published Tuesday, 11 June – also removed provisions from the regulations stating that a driver must hold a valid driving licence when first applying for either Super Licence.

As reported by Feeder Series in May, the FIA received a request to provide special dispensation for Antonelli to be granted a Super Licence before turning 18. The FIA declined to confirm the identity of the team responsible for requesting the dispensation, and no further confirmation had since been made on whether it was granted.

When contacted by Feeder Series at the time, a Mercedes spokesperson said the team were “not pushing for any dispensation”. Williams, the team now thought to have made the request, replied to Feeder Series’ inquiry by redirecting to prior press conference comments about the matter made by team principal James Vowles.

Antonelli is in the midst of a Formula 2 campaign with Prema Racing, having made the jump to the series straight after winning the Formula Regional European Championship. The Italian is sixth in the standings with a best finish of fourth, which he achieved in Melbourne, Imola and Monaco.

In 2022, Antonelli won the Italian and German F4 championships, accumulating 22 victories between the two campaigns in addition to two he took over the winter in F4 UAE. He won the FIA Motorsport Games F4 Cup in October of the same year with a broken wrist and also took the Formula Regional Middle East title four months later.

Header photo credit: Dutch Photo Agency