F1 is all about speed. But it’s not just the cars that are quick — some of the drivers get to the top step of the podium faster than anyone expected.
Here’s a look at the 10 youngest drivers ever to win a Formula 1 race. You’ll find out who they were, who they drove for, how long they’d been in the sport, and what exactly went down when they clinched that first win.
And with Kimi Antonelli joining the sport in 2025, this list feels more relevant than ever. In Canada the 18 year old rookie grabbed his first podium, making him the third-youngest-ever to do so. Surely it’s just a matter of time before Antonelli joins the list below as a race winner, but where will he slot in?
10. Robert Kubica – 23 years, 184 days
Team: BMW Sauber
Win: 2008 Canadian Grand Prix
Robert Kubica was about a season and a half into his F1 career when everything lined up for him in Montreal. He started the race from 2nd on the grid. When Hamilton crashed into Räikkönen in the pit lane (yes, really), Kubica made the most of it. Smart strategy, smooth driving, and a clean race gave him his first — and only — F1 victory.
9. Kimi Räikkönen – 23 years, 157 days
Team: McLaren
Win: 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix
Kimi had been around for two full seasons when he showed the world why everyone called him fast from day one. Starting from 2nd, he kept it tidy in the tropical heat. After overtaking early on, he just… disappeared. No drama, no mistakes. Just ice-cold consistency to take his first victory.
8. Oscar Piastri – 23 years, 106 days
Team: McLaren
Win: 2024 Hungarian Grand Prix
Oscar didn’t waste any time. In only his second season, he started 3rd at the Hungaroring. He took the lead into Turn 1, overtaking his teammate Norris in the process. From there, he held off the pressure, nailed his tire strategy, and crossed the line first, after some team orders meant that Lando had to hand him back the lead of the race after the two teammates pitted out of sequence.
Piastri’s first victory was slightly overshadowed by the team-order controversy, but he’s gone on to win many more since then.
7. Lewis Hamilton – 22 years, 154 days
Team: McLaren
Win: 2007 Canadian Grand Prix
Hamilton’s rookie season was like nothing we’ve ever seen. By the time he got to Montreal, only the 6th race of the year (and the 6th of his F1 career) he’d stood on the podium a few times already. This time, though, he was on pole — and he stayed there. He dealt with four safety cars, a chaotic race, and still came out on top. It was the first of many, many more.
6. Troy Ruttman – 22 years, 80 days
Team: Kuzma-Offenhauser (Indy 500 entry)
Win: 1952 Indianapolis 500
Now this one’s a little different. Back then, the Indy 500 counted toward the F1 championship. Ruttman wasn’t a full-time F1 driver. But at 22, he started mid-pack, kept his car running while others dropped out, and brought it home. That win still stands in the F1 books.
5. Bruce McLaren – 22 years, 103 days
Team: Cooper
Win: 1959 United States Grand Prix
Yep — that McLaren. Bruce had just wrapped up his rookie season when he lined up 2nd on the grid at Sebring. After some late drama with retirements, he found himself out front. He held off the chasing pack by less than a second. History made.
4. Fernando Alonso – 22 years, 26 days
Team: Renault
Win: 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix
Alonso came into 2003 already looking sharp. At the Hungaroring, he stuck it on pole and never looked back. He lapped Michael Schumacher (not a typo), managed his pace like a pro, and cruised to his first win. Spain had its first race winner. Two years later he went on to become World Champ in 2005.
3. Charles Leclerc – 21 years, 320 days
Team: Ferrari
Win: 2019 Belgian Grand Prix
Charles had already been knocking on the door, and was the brightest young spark in Ferrari’s pool of young drivers, At Spa in 2019, his promise final came to fruition. Starting from pole, he held the lead through a tense race. Hamilton was closing in, but Charles stayed calm. His win came just a day after the tragic loss of his friend Anthoine Hubert in a crash at the historic circuit. Emotional doesn’t begin to cover it.
2. Sebastian Vettel – 21 years, 73 days
Team: Toro Rosso
Win: 2008 Italian Grand Prix
Imagine this: you’re in a midfield car, it’s pouring in Monza, and you stick it on pole. That’s what Vettel did. He led from the start and pulled away — in a Toro Rosso. When the checkered flag dropped and he crossed the line first, everyone knew a star had arrived.
1. Max Verstappen – 18 years, 228 days
Team: Red Bull
Win: 2016 Spanish Grand Prix
Max. Verstappen. Was. Eighteen. What were you doing when you were 18? I can bet it wasn’t winning F1 races.
In 2016 Max had just been promoted to Red Bull from the junior Toro Rosso team when he started 4th in Barcelona. Then, boom — both Mercedes cars crashed on lap one. Suddenly, Max was leading. Kimi came after him hard, but Max didn’t flinch. He managed his tires like he’d been doing this for years and made history as the youngest F1 winner ever. And to do it on debut for Red Bull was extra special.
He’s almost 3 years clear of Vettel in second place on this list. This is a record that’s likely to stand for a very long time.
