Verstappen Questions FIA's 18-Year Rule: "Fast at 17? Let Them In!" - F1
May 13 - Max Verstappen thinks F1's governing body, the FIA, should not block 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli from entering the sport immediately.
Recently, it emerged that a team - probably Mercedes-powered Williams - had applied to the FIA for special dispensation so that Antonelli can make his race debut prior to his 18th birthday in late August.
Triple world champion Verstappen, who was 17 when he made his debut in 2015, said the minimum age requirement of 18 in Formula 1 "was introduced because of me".
Additionally, the FIA required that drivers are only eligible for a F1 super license if they accrue 40 points by succeeding in various categories below Formula 1.
Verstappen also would not have had the 40 points when he made his debut at 17. Antonelli, on the other hand, has already collected his necessary 40 points.
"Ultimately, the rule does not prevent what it is intended to do," Verstappen, the now 26-year-old Dutchman, told motorsport-total.com.
"It's not specifically about Antonelli, but it could prevent some talents from getting into Formula 1 quickly, because they first have to collect the 40 points. I'm not a big fan of it - of this whole system," he admitted.
"If someone is 17 or 18 years old and has maybe 20 points but is very fast, why shouldn't he get into Formula 1?"
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The points system ran its course a while ago already & should go, but having a minimum age requirement is definitely justified & bringing it back in 2016 was necessary to prevent teams from attempting to bring in younger & younger drivers in the long term.
Max's point lacks some validity as nothing prevents anyone & no one deserves special treatment.
Once again, no one (especially Williams or even Mercedes) has requested a dispensation, which Toto made clear during the last race weekend & that they aren't going to rush with him, so still claiming otherwise is contradictory.
Also what does a driver get for winning indy series 15 points, surely thats not right..........
Yeah, age discrimination is a stupid idea... I don't see what's the benefit of that. Verstappen is the living proof that it's unnecessary.
It's already very hard for new drivers to make their way to F1. Why make it even harder?
Without any minimum, teams could attempt to push for getting drivers in younger & younger, so having some minimum requirement is definitely justified.
I'm with Max. Why would they want younger and younger drivers if they weren't capable?
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