Major pending changes to the FIA driver grading system were revealed during the SRO Press Conference at the Spa 24 Hours today by Stephane Ratel.
Commenting that the changes had been made “together with our friends at the ACO and after “convincing our friends at IMSA and convincing the FIA”, the revisions look set to have a major impact around the racing world and, in particular, in sportscar and endurance racing where so much of the class structure is determined by the allowed combinations of ranked drivers.
A slide shown by Ratel outlined some dramatically different establishing criteria for the four-tier ranking system than the current regulations which look set to see a significant increase in the number of Gold-ranked drivers from 2023.
This though is only part of the story, as revealed by a document visible on the FIA website that shows all of the proposed changes for 2023.
That document establishes the Gradings from 2023 as follows:
PLATINUM
Professional driver
Definition:
Current or past Super Licence holder, practice licences included
Performances and achievements are at the Platinum driver level
Career:
Top 5 finishers of a Tier 1 Series, and/or
Comparable level of performance to Platinum drivers, and/or
Any additional criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the Committee
GOLD
Definition:
Main professional activity based around driving in motor sport
Participation in high-level karting for three or more seasons
Participation in significant single-seater competitions for more than two seasons with at least one podium
The driver’s motor sport career (karting or cars) began before the age of 20 with at least five full seasons of results.
Career:
Top 5 finisher of a Tier 2 Series
Winner of a Tier 3 Series (overall or category in multi-class racing), and/or
A comparable level of performance to Gold drivers, and/or
Any additional criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the Committee
SILVER
Definition:
A driver under 30 who is in their first year with a licence
A driver under 30 with no significant single-seater or karting experience
A driver deriving an income from motor sport related activities
A driver under 30 who began their motor sport career in their 20s
Career:
Comparable level of performance to Silver drivers, and/or
Any further criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the Committee
BRONZE
Definition:
A driver who obtained their first licence after the age of 30.
Career:
Comparable level of performance to Bronze drivers, and/or
Any further criteria deemed worthy of consideration by the Committee
Ongoing Categorisation
Continuing categorisation is determined through the assessment of his or her average times during the races and also on his or her standing within the criteria listed below. The absence of lap times (non-participation) does not demonstrate declining performance.
Drivers who have been categorised but who do not compete regularly in a monitored series can be upgraded based on the initial categorisation criteria should they compete in a Series listed in Tiers 1, 2 or 3, or equivalent Series or Championships.
The FIA document then goes into some detail of the criteria that will determine ongoing categorisation for each driver
These include”:
PLATINUM
Finishing on the podium in a Pro category in a major endurance race (24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona
(DPi), 24 Hours of Spa, Nürburgring 24 Hours;
Winning the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP1/Hybrid or Hypercar, or LM GTE Pro categories;
Winning the IMSA Championship in the DPi category;
Winning the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe, Asia and America, ADAC GT Master and Pro category in a major endurance race.
(non-exhaustive list)
GOLD
The following career achievements of categorised drivers in monitored Series would result in an upgrade to Gold:
Finishing in the top three in the Silver Cup in GTWC
Achieving relevant race results in LMP2, LMP3, LMGTE Am (including ELMS) and GT3 (in the Asian Le Mans Series and Le Mans Cup)
SILVER AND BRONZE
Upgrades and downgrades between the Bronze and Silver categories will be primarily evaluated on the basis of quantitative data supplied by the drivers and Organisers. Additionally, qualitative data (i.e. career record in a non-monitored Series, achievement in other disciplines of motor racing or professional sports, occupation of the driver) may be considered.
In addition the current policy of downgrading drivers upon reaching their 50th birthday will change to a downgrade on their 55th birthday from 2023.
The changes seem to be designed to tackle a perceived overpopulation of the Silver category, in particular with large numbers of much younger drivers joining the class as the potential for endurance racing as an alternative career path has become clearer in recent seasons.
Initial response from some in the industry has been voiced with some concerns – including team owners expressing the view that such changes need to be combined with a review of the class structures in ACO rules racing.
SRO meanwhile have already done so with the GT Word Challenge and Intercontinental GT Challenge both set to see significant changes to class structures for 2023 – that includes what will initially at least be a somewhat confusing rebalancing of the definitions and status of their Gold and Silver Cup classes.
The IGTC will also see an Am class introduced for GT2 machinery.
DSC says:
The wholesale review of the Driver categorisation process is long overdue and efforts in that direction are to be welcomed.
We await with interest the response not only from Championship and race organisers, but also from the wider sport, in particular including the teams for who an effective structure defines their ability to operate and to compete.
Our current belief is that some significant changes need to be considered in the regulations of many Championships to ensure that teams already hard hit by the ongoing economic ripples from the pandemic, and now by significant impacts of price increases and logistical issues, are able to offer cost-effective and sustainable customer packages, and that those regulations reflect the realities of the marketplace.
It is not good enough merely to sit behind a system and say “That’s what we have!” – There is a duty of care to customers who have stood by the sport during hugely difficult times to listen to their concerns and respond positively to them.
These are the organisations and individuals that have ensured the survival and ongoing fiscal health of the sport – that loyalty needs to be respected and repaid with a revised structure and, if necessary, revised regulations that allow professional teams to navigate the currently very choppy financial waters.
There is also the question of the realities of the effects of an ‘upgrade’ to the career prospects of drivers, many of whom have seen careers stall due to the prevailing system. We would call for that too to be reviewed, with a full consultation across Championship organisers, teams and the drivers themselves to establish whether a better way forward can be found that rewards talent rather than, as at present, a perceptions and significant reality that racing success is ‘rewarded’ by a future with fewer opportunities.
