Andrea Kimi Antonelli will have a chance to race in Formula 1 before he turns 18 after the FIA changed its requirements for a super licence.
The sport’s governing body confirmed last month it had received a request to consider a change in the rule requiring all F1 super licence holders to be at least 18 years old.
It has now published an update to the International Sporting Code which allows it to grant a dispensation to the age limit.
“The driver must be at least 18 years old at the start of the event of his first F1 competition,” states the rule. “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 a super licence at the age of 17 years old.”
The FIA has also scrapped the rule which required super licence holders to “be the holder of a valid driving licence when he applies for a super licence for the first time.” The minimum driving age limit in Italy is 18.
Antonelli, Mercedes’ junior driver who is under consideration to take the seat Lewis Hamilton will vacate at the end of the year, is currently racing in Formula 2. Mercedes confirmed it had not sought a rules change for Antonelli, prompting speculation the request to the FIA to amend the regulations came from another team.
Williams is thought to be a likely destination for Antonelli. The Mercedes customer team is run by their former strategist James Vowles, who already knows Antonelli well. While Alexander Albon is locked into a multi-year deal, his team mate Logan Sargeant has struggled to impress since arriving in F1 last year.
If Antonelli gains the FIA’s approval, he could make his F1 debut at any time before he turns 18 on August 25th, as he has already fulfilled the requirement to score at least 40 superlicence points.
The FIA introduced the 18 year age limit on Formula 1 drivers after Red Bull promoted Max Verstappen into the series with its junior team Toro Rosso (now RB) in 2015.
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