Kimi Antonelli is on the verge of shattering the Formula 1 record books, and overtaking Sebastian Vettel as the youngest World Champion in F1 history.
Kimi Antonelli made his F1 debut in 2025 at the age of 18. In just two years, the talented Italian has gone from rookie to the World Championship favorite.
The Mercedes driver became the youngest driver to ever lead the driver's standings after winning the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix. He was just 19 years, 7 months, and 4 days old. Antonelli took the record from Lewis Hamilton who first led the standings in 2007 at 22 years, 4 months, and 6 days old.
Antonelli has already broken that record, and is on track to smash the benchmark for the youngest driver ever to win an F1 World Championship, which he can achieve at aged 20.
Sebastien Vettel currently holds the record for the youngest champion in Formula 1 history, winning the championship in 2010 at 23 years and 134 days old.
Youngest F1 World Champions
Driver | Championship Year | Age at Title |
Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull) | 2010 | 23 years, 134 days |
Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) | 2008 | 23 years, 300 days |
Fernando Alonso (Renault) | 2005 | 24 years, 58 days |
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) | 2021 | 24 years,73 days |
Emerson Fittipaldi (Lotus) | 1972 | 25 years, 273 days |
Michael Schumacher (Benetton) | 1994 | 25 years, 314 days |
Lando Norris (McLaren) | 2025 | 26 years, 24 days |
Niki Lauda (Ferrari) | 1975 | 26 years, 197 days |
Jacques Villeneuve (Williams) | 1997 | 26 years, 200 days |
Jim Clark (Lotus) | 1963 | 27 years, 174 days |
Antonelli needs just two points at the upcoming Mexican Grand Prix to clinch the 2026 Drivers' Championship and shatter Vettel's record by nearly three years.
When the young sensation inevitably wins the 2026 World Championship, he will still be half the age of Formula 1's first-ever champion, Giuseppe Farina, who was 44 when he claimed the title in 1950.
Lando Norris cracked the top 10 of this list after winning his first World Championship last season in a McLaren, while Max Verstappen moved into fourth place when he secured his maiden title in 2021 at the age of 24 while driving for Red Bull.
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Every F1 World Champion since 1950.
