Introduced in
2017, following the debut of then 18-year-old
Kurt Kostecki the previous year, the Motorsport Australian Superlicence—then known as the CAMS Superlicence—was introduced in an effort to aid safety concerns regarding the experience of drivers. Modelled after the
FIA Super Licence, the licence saw applicants required to meet a set of criteria to participate in the
Supercars Championship, including a minimum age limit, and a set of 13 superlicence points that drivers could earn for eligibility in the series, though dispensations could be given out at the discretion of
Motorsport Australia. Series that are managed by the
Australian Auto Sport Alliance are not eligible for points. The existence of the Superlicence and the eligibility rules, were heavily criticised following their announcement, namely due to the points system. The organisers of the
Australian Formula Ford Championship and
Australian Formula 3 criticised the initial points system in 2017. Formula Ford was ineligible for the Superlicence points, whilst Formula 3 received a lower points allocation than other, "lower-level" series such as Formula 4. The two series organised argued that their series were effective training grounds for professional motorsport, and that the points allocation did not reflect the training value of their categories. The CEO of the Supercars Championship also criticised the system in 2017, station the system was necessary but the points table was "wrong" and "way heavily skewed with self interest in regards to Formula 4". The system also garnered scrutiny in regards to the dispensation policy.
Matt Chahda was denied a dispensation to race in Supercars in 2017, a decision amplified by the announcement of then 16-year-old
Alex Rullo being given permission to race just a day prior. Nathan Herne, who placed fifth in the 2019
TA2 Racing Muscle Car Series—a series sanctioned by the
Australian Auto Sport Alliance and thus not eligible for superlicence points—was denied a dispensation after
Garry Rogers Motorsport applied for a dispensation for Herne to drive in the
2020 Bathurst 1000. Initially, drivers who held
FIA Gold Categorisation were not required to accrue the superlicence points, but this was later retracted for 2021 onwards. 2022 saw further changes were made to the Superlicence system. Applications for Superlicences were now to be made by Supercars teams rather than by drivers, and the points table was substantially adjusted, increasing points allocations for a number of series and increasing the required points total to 15. The Supercars Championship itself later imposed a rule stating that must compete in at least six rounds of the
Super2 Series before acquiring permission to race in the Supercars Championship. In July 2023, Motorsport Australia announced they had cancelled the Superlicence system for the 2024 season, citing the stricter rules required to earn an
FIA International Grade C Circuit Licence. The Supercars Championship amended its requirements for drivers, such that a driver who placed in the top three in either the
Super3 Series or the
Porsche Carrera Cup Australia would in the previous three years would only require three rounds in the
Super2 Series, rather than six. Soon after,
Motorsport Australia announced that the Superlicence would be revamped and return for 2024, emphasising the "importance of a structured pathway" to prepare drivers for the Supercars Championship. == Requirements ==