On Sunday, Max Verstappen became the all-time youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix. So, we take a look at some of the youngest drivers who have reached the top step of the podium in Formula 1.
Max Verstappen
18 years and 227 days old Max Verstappen clinched his first victory in Formula 1 racing at Barcelona on Sunday. Son of former F1 driver Jos Verstappen, Max managed to beat Sebastian Vettel’s record by a massive margin of 2 years and 210 days. Verstappen finished the race in first by leading the last 32 laps owing to a fantastic two-stop strategy by his Red Bull team. The race at the Circuit de Catalunya also marked the debut of Verstappen at Red Bull who made the leap from sister company Toro Rosso, with Daniil Kyvat moving the other way. Max became the first Dutch driver to win an F1 race, which was the cherry on top of the cake.
Sebastian Vettel
Vettel was the youngest world champion ever but before that he became the youngest driver to win a race. At Monza in 2008, the young German put his Toro Rosso on pole at the Italian Grand Prix. Much like throughout his career, Vettel won the race in dominant fashion, leading for almost the entire duration in wet conditions. That weekend would mark the first pole and victory for Toro Rosso as well as Vettel. Seb was 21 years and 73 days old when he broke the record which was previously held by Fernando Alonso.
Fernando Alonso
Fernando Alonso took the crown of the youngest GP winner on 24th August, 2003 with victory at the Hungaroring circuit in Hungary. At the wheel of a Renault, Alonso was on pole position and was in complete control of the race from the start. Such was his domination on the day, he even managed to lap the then reigning champion Michael Schumacher who was running in eight. Alonso beat the long standing record of Bruce McLaren, winning the race aged 22 years and 26 days.
Bruce McLaren
New Zealander Bruce McLaren is world renowned for starting the highly successful McLaren F1 Racing Team. But it is a lesser known fact that he was the record holder for the youngest driver to win a Formula 1 Grand Prix for almost half a century. McLaren set the record at the 1959 US Grand Prix at Sebring when he was 22 years and 104 days old. Driving a Cooper Works car, McLaren won the race in dramatic fashion as his teammate Jack Brabham’s car sputtered to a halt 400 yards from the finish line on the last lap. McLaren was running behind him in second and was urged on by Brabham frantically towards the line resulting in him winning the race.
Lewis Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton won his first race at the age of 22 years and 154 days piloting a McLaren car. Current reigning champion Hamilton won the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix from pole in his rookie season. The result would also give Hamilton the lead in the championship, the first rookie to do so. However, he lost the title to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in the last round at Brazil.
