Along with his victory on the 2026 Method 1 Japanese Grand Prix and his team-mate’s fourth-place end, ’ grew to become the brand new championship chief. Within the course of, he earned the file because the youngest driver ever to prime the F1 championship.
Antonelli’s achievement is much more exceptional once you keep in mind he’s the primary driver to steer the championship at beneath 20 years previous – and in reality the primary to take action earlier than turning 22.
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Normally, drivers attain the highest of the standings years later than the younger Italian. Among the many youngest, 5 drivers first led the championship at age 23, three at 24, 5 at 25, and 7 at 26.
Earlier than Antonelli, the file was held by , who grew to become championship chief on the 2007 Spanish Grand Prix in simply his fourth race and debut season within the class – earlier than even successful a grand prix.
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Hamilton broke a file that had stood for practically 50 years, since founder Bruce McLaren led the 1960 F1 world championship after successful the opening race of the season in Argentina. McLaren would go on to take three extra victories, however solely managed to complete runner-up within the drivers’ championship.
With Antonelli’s achievement, an attention-grabbing case drops off the rostrum of youngest leaders: , who first led a championship on the day he received his first title, on the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – the beginning of his run of 4 consecutive championships.
The youngest drivers in F1 historical past to steer the championship
Driver
Age on the time of reaching the rostrum
Race
1
19 years, 7 months, and 4 days
2026 Japanese Grand Prix
2
22 years, 4 months, and 6 days
2007 Spanish Grand Prix
3
22 years, 5 months, and eight days
1960 Argentine Grand Prix
4
23 years, 4 months, and 11 days
2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
5
23 years, 5 months, and 6 days
2003 Malaysian Grand Prix
6
23 years, 6 months, and 1 day
2008 Canadian Grand Prix
7
23 years, 7 months, and 20 days
2005 Malaysian Grand Prix
8
23 years, 7 months, and 23 days
2021 Monaco Grand Prix
9
24 years and 14 days
2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
10
24 years, 5 months, and 4 days
2022 Bahrain Grand Prix
11
24 years, 7 months, and 25 days
1956 French Grand Prix
12
25 years, 2 months, and 24 days
1994 Brazilian Grand Prix
13
25 years, 4 months, and three days
2025 Australian Grand Prix
14
25 years, 4 months, and 15 days
1974 French Grand Prix
15
25 years, 5 months, and a couple of days
1972 Monaco Grand Prix
16
25 years, 11 months, and 10 days
1997 Australian Grand Prix
17
26 years and 4 days
1997 Argentine Grand Prix
18
26 years and 23 days
1986 Spanish Grand Prix
19
26 years, 8 months, and 17 days
1956 Belgian Grand Prix
20
26 years, 10 months, and 30 days
1982 South African Grand Prix
Apparently, and first led the championship at nearly precisely the identical age, with simply three days’ distinction in favour of the Spaniard, who took the lead of the 2025 championship within the second race of that season – the 12 months he would go on to win his first title.
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As for Verstappen, though he received his first race in 2016, he didn’t lead the championship till mid-2021, when he would later safe his first title.
Different nice champions like didn’t lead the championship till age 25, whereas rivals and first led it at 26 – the Brazilian two years earlier than his first title, and the Frenchman three years earlier than his.
Amongst different champions not listed, and first led at 27; , , and at 28; and and at 29. The remainder of the champions first led the standings after turning 30.
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If you happen to’re questioning, solely 66 drivers in Method 1 historical past have ever led the drivers’ championship. And for the file, the oldest first-time championship leaders have been five-time champion , at 38 years and 10 months, and the game’s first-ever champion, , who first led – and received his title – at 43 years previous.
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