The provisional FIA Driver Categorisation list has been published for the 2025 season.
The list applies the categorisation that will apply for drivers in every race in 2025 (with the exception of the Asian Le Mans Series which straddles the two years and applies the gradings from 2024 for their full season).
Drivers are categorised against a ‘medal’ system: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze against a range of criteria. The initial categorisation is based on the driver’s age and career record and is subject to change in subsequent seasons according to the recorded race pace and results of the series that are using the categorisation system.
The system is used by every major racing series and championship where Pro-Am crews are fielded as a keystone to much of the modern endurance and GT racing world and is designed to attempt to set and maintain reasonable standards of fairness and equity between competing crews.
There are a number of key rating changes for next season, including Sarah Bovy and Alex Malykhin from the FIA WEC’s LMGT3 class, who have both been upgraded from Bronze to Silver. MotoGP legend and current GT3 driver Valentino Rossi meanwhile, was under review but stays Silver.
As is often the case with these reviews, several themes have emerged. A handful of the proposed changes affect Bronze and Silver drivers in the 2024 FIA WEC field, as well as multiple Silver-ranked drivers participating in the ELMS.
Also notable are two ‘young guns’ who raced with their fathers in the British GT championship this year – 2024 champion Ricky Collard and Sam Neary – moving from Silver to Gold.
There are changes amongst female drivers who were previously ranked Silver worth pointing out too, with Taylor Hagler, Ashton Harrison, Renee Gracie and (soon-to-be 50 years-old) Vanina Ickx all moving to Bronze, whilst Bovy moves in the opposite direction.
Notably, this is the third consecutive year that Bovy’s rating has been tweaked, though for 2023 and 2024 her appeals to stay Bronze were successful. Last season’s adjustments saw both of her regular teammates at Iron Dames – Michelle Gatting (Silver to Gold) and Rahel Frey (Gold to Silver) – also change.
The grades are subject to appeal, with the final list due for publication on 1 November.
Appeals are open for one week, starting from publication of the list.
Key provisional changes for 2025:
Bronze to Silver
- Sarah Bovy
- Alex Malykhin
- Massimiliano (Max) Wiser
Silver to Gold
- Ricky Collard
- Lorenzo Fluxa
- Alessandro Ghiretti
- Brendon Leitch
- Aaron Love
- Jordan Love
- Manuel Maldonado
- Daniel Mancinelli
- Esteban Masson
- Sam Neary
- Jayden Ojeda
- Lorenzo Patrese
- Morris Schuring
- Elliott Skeer
- Adam Smalley
- Joel Sturm
- Filip Ugran
- Ryan Wood
Gold to Platinum
- Franco Colapinto
- Ben Green
- Colton Herta
Gold to Silver
- Michele Beretta
- Erik Johansson
- Sascha Massen
- Martin Plowman
- Matias Russo
Silver to Bronze
- Renee Gracie
- Taylor Hagler
- Ashton Harrison
- Brett Hobson
- Chandler Hull
- Vanina Ickx
- Hiroki Katoh
- Tim Kohmann
- Laura Kraihamer
- Nick Mancuso
- Gray Newell
- James Pickford
- Luca Rangoni
Image courtesy of European Le Mans Series
