Cavin: Connect Newgarden dots to Ganassi, not Haas F1

The head of the new Haas F1 team said Monday there's a list of 10 potential candidates for the Ferrari-linked American team.

The list was not revealed, but there's very little chance of an IndyCar Series driver being on it, assuming Formula One keeps its controversial eligibility system.

As it stands, all drivers must have a Super License, a standard that includes holding a current FIA International Grade A license, a valid driving license and being at least 18 years old at the start of the event of his first F1 race weekend.

If the driver hasn't made at least five F1 starts the previous year or at least 15 starts within the previous three years, he or she must have accumulated 40 points during the three-year period preceding the application. IndyCar is one of about a dozen international series where points can be scored. NASCAR is not.

In IndyCar, 40 points are assigned to the series champion with 30 points going to the runner-up. The third-place finisher gets 20 points, fourth is worth 10 points, fifth is worth eight points. The rest of the top 10 are scored 6-4-3-2-1.

Based on that, four IndyCar Series drivers qualify for the Super License, and remarkably former F1 drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Sebastien Bourdais are not among them.

Will Power and Scott Dixon each have 80 points, Helio Castroneves has 70 and Ryan Hunter-Reay has 50.

The other drivers who have earned points through the IndyCar Series are: Simon Pagenaud (36), Montoya (10), Marco Andretti (10), Tony Kanaan (6), Ryan Briscoe (6), Wilson (6), James Hinchcliffe (6), Carlos Munoz (3), Charlie Kimball (2), Graham Rahal (1) and Bourdais (1).

Conor Daly earned 20 points in GP3.

Among Indy Lights drivers, Max Chilton scored 20 in GP2 and Jack Harvey scored seven in GP3.

Josef Newgarden, whose contract with CFH Racing ends after IndyCar's Aug. 30 finale, has been mentioned as a possible Haas candidate, but he hasn't scored a Super License point. Besides, the Nashville-area native has been chummy of late with Scott Borchetta, the president and chief executive officer of the Big Machine Records. Borchetta is a sponsor of Ganassi Racing. Connect those dots before connecting the others.

Follow Curt Cavin on Facebook and Twitter: @curtcavin