Ever wondered what the current grid of Formula 1 drivers might look like in 30, 40 or even 50 years time?
Well thanks to the power of AI and FaceApp, you don’t need to wonder any longer.
Too old to race?
Fernando Alonso is now 43 years old and has competed in more Formula 1 races than any driver ever. Yet his run of stunning performances at Aston Martin at the start of 2024 show that, despite having first competed in Formula 1 over 20 years ago, he’s still got it.
Lewis Hamilton, now 40 years old, is also showing us that a Formula 1 career can span over two decades, and maybe more. Now with Ferrari, Lewis has got his mojo back and hopefully that signals a return to his very best. If it is, who knows how long he’ll keep at it for?
How will F1 drivers look when they're old?
And that got me thinking. How old is too old for an F1 driver? The oldest ever racing driver to finish a Formula 1 race was Philippe Étancelin who placed 8th in the 1952 French Grand Prix at the ripe old age of 55.
Alonso needs another 12 years of competitiveness to beat that record. At this rate I don’t think anyone would dare say that’s not achievable.
So to preempt the current grid of F1 drivers going on to have long careers in the sport, I decided to see what they might all look like in 30, 40 or even 50 years time.
Some of the results below are absolute corkers.
First off it’s the the world champ, and it appears that in 30 years time it looks like he’s going to resembled Max Mosely more than Max Verstappen.
There is a definite resemblance to his dad Jos Verstappen in there as well.
Max’s recent dominance has made us all wonder how long he’ll keep racing for, when he’s got it so easy. Even he himself has said that he doesn’t see a long career in F1.
Next it’s Max’s new teammate Liam Lawson. The young Kiwi is currently only 23 years old but he’ll need to be as wise as he looks here to try and get the better of the 4-time champ across the garage.
Lews in red. What a sight. Let’s hope joining the Scuderia gives him his mojo back and he returns to his very best. Hopefully we won’t have to wait for Lewis to get this old to get his 8th.
Leclerc is Ferrari’s prodigy and he’s been there number 1 for years. Will that still be the case? Whatever happens this year, it seems he’ll be taking some influence in his later years from fellow French F1 legend Alain Prost with his long hair looks.
George appears to have turned in to a professor. Those long locks and unframed glasses give him a cool air of sophistication.
Kimi Antonelli is replacing Lewis at Mercedes. He’s young and fresh faced, for now. Let’s see if he can cut it as a rookie in one of the better seats on the grid.
When will Alonso’s incredible F1 career end? Hopefully once Newey’s design starts to take effect in 2026 Fernando will get one more shot at being at the front of the grid.
And now to the other Aston Martin driver, Lance. He looks to have put a few pounds on, but he’s still in Aston Martin team colours. I guess his Dad’s still employing him as part of the team.
He also looks like the kind of driver you’d expect to see pounding round the ovals in NASCAR.
Lando I’m so sorry about this one, FaceApp has kinda done you dirty here. In a ‘smokes 50 a day and has bad coffee breath’ kind of way.
Let’s just hope you can put up a decent title challenge this year.
Piastri in his later years appears to be the kind of guy you’d expect to be chief at your local fire station.
Will he be Lando’s closest challenger this year? Maybe.
Yuki definitely looks older, wiser and a touch plumper. But probably no taller. Should he have been given the Red Bull seat? Let’s see how he stacks up this year.
Another rookie, Isaack Hadjar joins Yuki at VCARB. And yes his head looks a little big for his body, my bad.
Alex Albon’s short stint with bright blonde hair will perhaps make a return when he’s older. Or maybe it’s just going grey. Things are also definitely starting to droop at this point.
Carlos Sainz really does look old. Older even that his father Carlos Sainz Snr. Lets see if he can help Williams return to their winning ways.
Pierre Gasly seems to have miraculously sprung some more hair for the start of the 2025, so it seems fitting he appears to be wearing a wig when he’s older.
Jack Doohan is the new signing for Alpine. Colapinto’s waiting in the wings to take his place though, so no pressure ‘eh Jack…
Ocon switched from Alpine to HAAS as the start of 2025. How will he stack up against his young teammate?
This is his young teammate. Oliver Bearman. But for some reason he seems to have turned in to an Olivia Bearman. My bad again.
Hulk Hulkenberg moved to Sauber for 2025. Will he be this old before he finally manages to get that ilusive podium?
And finally it’s another rookie Gabriel Bortoleto bringing up the back of the grid for Sauber.
i think your a little to wrong , with k-mag , he will be bald like he’s father
they look incredibly similar
Maybe! But I hope for long hair for him
Alonso forever! No matter how old he gets.
Forever and always
J adore
Fernando for ever