In Summary: Pato O’Ward believes the FIA Super License points system undervalues IndyCar to a “ridiculous” degree.
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in the letter
FIA super license weight for IndyCar ‘ridiculous’ – O’Ward
McLaren SP IndyCar driver Pato O’Ward says the FIA’s Super Licensing program undervalues the IndyCar Series.
The FIA International Sporting Code stipulates that only drivers who have achieved 40 points in the last three full seasons of competition are eligible, with different championships around the world of motorsport offering different levels of points.
Currently, the FIA awards 40 points only to drivers who win the IndyCar Series title, with 30 awarded to second-place finisher and 20 to third-place finisher. O’Ward, who tested for McLaren’s F1 team in Abu Dhabi in December, believes drivers who finish top of the standings at IndyCar deserve more points.
“I mean, to me it’s ridiculous that someone who’s finished fourth and third in the IndyCar Championship doesn’t have or can’t get 40 points in Super License,” O’Ward said.
“I think a lot of drivers would agree with me. But as far as I know the fourth one would give you 10 points, the third one 20. So I’m assuming I’m at 30 points on the super license? Yeah, I didn’t really emphasize that side because as much as I say, ‘oh maybe you can get some points here’, at the end of the day you have to leave it to the people who want to give it to you. If they don’t want to give it to you, then ‘sorry mate’. You have to have another year and get ten more points I think.”
Formula E signs a letter of intent for the future Hyderabad race
The FIA Formula E Championship is likely to be expanded to include a race in India in future seasons after the series signed a memorandum of understanding with the Telangana State Government to hold a race in the city of Hyderabad.
Formula E Chief Championship Officer Alberto Longo said the series is keen to explore the possibility of racing in India.
“We welcome the interest of Hyderabad and the State of Telangana in hosting a round of the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship,” said Longo. “With this MoU, we can continue to explore the exciting potential of elite motorsport’s return to India.”
Formula E team Mahindra Racing, competing under an Indian racing license, has been part of the championship since the inaugural 2014/15 season. The 2022 Formula E season begins on Friday 28 January in Saudi Arabia.
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