Alex Palou suggests the factors process to purchase an FIA superlicence is “very unfair” on some sequence, specifically IndyCar.

Final weekend Palou created his Formulation one exercise debut with McLaren at the United States Grand Prix, and the Spaniard verified he possesses a superlicence which indicates he could be termed on to race in F1.

Palou’s junior occupation encompassed Formulation two and its assist sequence GP3 (now regarded as Formulation three), as properly as its rival Formulation V8 three.five and the Euroformula and Tremendous Formulation Lights sequence that equally ran to classic F3 restrictions at the time.

He moved up to the major stage of solitary-seaters in Tremendous Formulation, where by he virtually received the title in his solitary time there, then switched to IndyCar in 2020 and received very last year’s title. IndyCar provides less superlicence factors than F2 – only ninety blended for major a few championship finishers in contrast to one hundred twenty for F2’s major a few – and extra factors can be attained from racing in the FIA F3 championship than in Tremendous Formulation.

“I never believe that is heading to modify at all,” Palau commented on the allocation of superlicence factors to specialist sequence. “I have my tremendous licence, I’m content, I never treatment what comes about.

“But I believe it is incredibly unfair that there is some sequence that they never get adequate licence factors. Pato [O’Ward] does not have [enough points for a superlicence], and he concluded 3rd in the championship, fourth in the championship, and seventh. A male that is like that executing seventeen weekends racing in opposition to persons that have 10 or fifteen several years of expertise in IndyCar – that male is able of executing a great deal in F1.

“But that is a rule, so ideally they modify it in the long run. I have an understanding of that also the FIA, they want all people to go by way of Europe and by way of other destinations, but it is genuine that you could get extra factors by racing in a wintertime sequence in Thailand and profitable that than ending fifth in IndyCar. I never know if that is good.”

Nikita Mazepin and Zhou Guanyu equally eased their paths to superlicences by racing in the fourth-tier Formulation Regional Asian Championship when they had been by now F2 motorists.

“I believe the programme they have in F2 is great. If you have concluded major a few, you get a superlicence and that really should be like that,” Palou included. “But I believe they could perhaps give a minimal little bit extra up.”

Palou is a single of several in IndyCar who want that series’ superlicence worth to improve, and suggests “we’re [not] inquiring much too much” in that F2 can keep its standing as the major sequence even with a factors enhance for IndyCar.

“I believe you really should give a minimal little bit extra value in IndyCar, essentially simply because of the stage of the motorists and also how extended our time is. I necessarily mean, the keep track of time we get, it is huge in contrast to an F2 driver. And I’m not indicating that we are far better, but we are able of heading out and driving in F1.”

Palou’s rival Pato O’Ward is established to generate for McLaren in Abu Dhabi Grand Prix exercise and F1’s Younger Driver Take a look at, even though Colton Herta is a further IndyCar driver on McLaren’s F1 exam programme.

2022 Mexican Grand Prix

Look through all 2022 Mexican Grand Prix content