Youngest world champions in F1 history
Kimi Antonelli has become the youngest F1 world champion in history by winning the 2026 title in the United States Grand Prix.
A third-place finish in the Mexico City Grand Prix was more than enough for Antonelli to be crowned the 36th F1 champion - and the youngest-ever
Antonelli is just the third Italian to be crowned world champion, and the first since Alberto Ascari in 1953.
The very first world champion, Giuseppe Farina won the 1950 title, before Ascari became the first back-to-back champion with his 1952 and 1953 successes.
Since Ascari, and before Antonelli's 2026 glory, the best an Italian had placed in the standings was Michele Alboreto in 1985 and Riccardo Patrese in 1992, whom finished as runners-up to Alain Prost, and Nigel Mansell, respectively.
Antonelli has shattered Sebastian Vettel's old record of 23 years, 4 months, 11 days by 3 years, 2 months, 11 days old, meaning he could have won the 2027, 2028 or even 2029 titles and still eclipsed the German's record from 2010.
For reference, the oldest F1 world champion was Juan Manuel Fangio in 1957, who claimed his fifth and final title after a stunning comeback drive at the German Grand Prix at the age of 46 years, 1 month, 11 days.
Antonelli would eclipse this if he won the 2052 drivers' world championship.
Check out the table of the youngest F1 world champions below!
Youngest world champions in F1 history
| Driver | Year | Age |
|---|---|---|
| Kimi Antonelli | 2026 | 20 years, 2 months, 7 days |
| Sebastian Vettel | 2010 | 23 years, 4 months, 11 days |
| Lewis Hamilton | 2008 | 23 years, 9 months, 26 days |
| Fernando Alonso | 2006 | 24 years, 1 month, 27 days |
| Max Verstappen | 2021 | 24 years, 2 months, 12 days |
| Sebastian Vettel | 2011 | 24 years, 3 months, 6 days |
| Max Verstappen | 2022 | 25 years, 0 months, 9 days |
| Fernando Alonso | 2006 | 25 years, 2 months, 23 days |
| Sebastian Vettel | 2012 | 25 years, 4 months, 22 days |
| Emerson Fittipaldi | 1972 | 25 years, 8 months, 29 days |
| Michael Schumacher | 1994 | 25 years, 10 months, 10 days |
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