Family has often played a huge role in stoking interest in motorsport for budding drivers, and in F1 it’s not unheard of for a father and son to both make it to the pinnacle of motorsport.
In two cases, both generations even won a Drivers’ Championship! Here are 16 father-son duos from F1 history who both started a race – with varying degrees of success…
The Verstappens
The only father-son duo with a driver currently on the grid, Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, claimed two podium finishes during his F1 career in the 1990s and early 2000s. The 54-year-old remains a regular presence in the paddock, often watching on from the Red Bull garage.
Max’s achievements have taken the Verstappen name to new heights, as his four World Drivers’ Championships make him one of the most successful drivers of all time.
The Hills
The Hill name is forever etched in F1 history through Graham and his son Damon Hill. Nicknamed Mr Monaco, Graham won two Drivers’ Championships in 1962 and 1968, but the Briton secured his racing legacy with the Triple Crown of Motorsport – Graham remains the only person to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Indy 500, and the Monaco Grand Prix.
After Graham passed away in a plane crash in 1975, his family – including 15-year-old son Damon – were left devestated. With Damon working hard as a labourer and motorsport courier to further his education, he soon began his own motorsport career before eventually making his F1 debut in 1992, already in his early 30s. Just four years later, he won the 1996 World Drivers’ Championship with Williams.
The Rosbergs
Another iconic father-son duo is Keke and Nico Rosberg, who both won the World Drivers’ Championship once. Keke won the 1982 Championship with just a single race victory – a joint record for the fewest wins in a title-winning season.
Decades later, Nico matched that achievement, taking the 2016 World Drivers’ Championship with Mercedes after a closely fought battle with team mate Lewis Hamilton.
The Schumachers
Another prominent father-son pairing is Michael and Mick Schumacher. Michael remains one of the most successful drivers in Formula 1 history, with seven World Championships and a legacy that continues to shape the sport.
His son made his mark in the junior categories, winning the Formula 2 title before stepping up to F1 with Haas for the 2021 and 2022 season. While his career has taken a different trajectory, he’s still behind the wheel as he takes on IndyCar in 2026, having spent a year as Mercedes’ reserve driver.
The Villeneuves
The Villeneuve name carries a strong racing legacy through Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve. Gilles finished runner-up in the 1979 championship, with the Canadian widely regarded as one of the best drivers to never win a title – he’s become a cult figure thanks to his fearless driving style and his heartbreaking, premature death in 1982.
His son Jacques went on to achieve what his father did not, securing the 1997 World Drivers’ Championship with Williams in just his second season, before struggling to recapture that form for the remainder of his decade-long career.
The Brabhams
The Brabham name spans generations through Jack and David Brabham. Jack won three World Championships in total, first in 1959 and 1960 with Cooper before his historic 1966 title with Brabham – Jack remains the only driver in F1 history to win a championship in a car bearing his own name. His son David later raced in Formula 1 in the late 1980s and early 1990s, though without the same level of success. He later went on to build a strong career in endurance racing, including a win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Andrettis
Andretti is a prestigious name in the racing world through Mario Andretti and his son, Michael. Mario competed in F1 between 1968 and 1982, taking pole on debut before claiming the 1978 World Drivers’ Championship with Lotus – eventually becoming the sport’s most successful American driver.
Michael followed him onto the grid in 1993 with McLaren, though his time in F1 was brief, and he returned to the US to build a highly successful IndyCar career.
The Magnussens
A more recent father-and-son duo in F1 are Jan Magnussen and his son, Kevin. Jan raced for Stewart Grand Prix in 1997 and 1998, scoring a single point at the 1998 Canadian Grand Prix before being replaced later that season.
Kevin went on to have a longer F1 career, taking a stunning podium on debut with McLaren in 2014, before spells with Renault and Haas. Kevin holds the record for most Grands Prix entered without leading a lap, with the Dane developing a reputation for being a fierce competitor over his seven-season stint with the American team.
The Fittipaldis
There are few names as synonymous with Formula 1 as the Fittipaldis, with multiple generations and family members leaving their mark on the sport. Wilson Fittipaldi competed in 38 Grands Prix between 1972 and 1975, scoring three points, before going on to run the Fittipaldi team from 1974 to 1982 – he’s also the brother of Emerson Fittipaldi, who won the World Drivers’ Championship in 1972 and 1974. Wilson’s son, Christian Fittipaldi, entered F1 in 1992 with Minardi, managing three fourth-place finishes in his three-year career, before leaving to try his luck in American racing.
The Piquets
The Piquet name is another that spans generations in Formula 1, through Nelson Piquet and his son Nelson Piquet Jr. Nelson Piquet Sr. raced from 1978 to 1991, winning three World Drivers’ Championships and 23 Grands Prix across spells with teams including Brabham, Williams, Lotus and Benetton.
Benetton would later become Renault, the same team his son joined years later. Nelson Piquet Jr raced with the French team in 2008 and 2009, with the highlight being a stunning P2 in Germany after qualifying P17. The Brazilian secured another title for the Piquet name, becoming the first Formula E champion in 2015.
The Palmers
You may know them better for their broadcasting skills, but both Palmers had solid stints in Formula 1. Jonathan managed 14 points over a seven-year career, enjoying his best years with Tyrell, where he even managed P4 at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix. Jolyon spent his two seasons in the sport at Renault, with his highlight coming in Singapore, claiming P6 in 2017.
The Nakajimas
Satoru Nakajima was the first full-time Japanese F1 driver, becoming Ayrton Senna’s team mate at Lotus in 1987, scoring his country’s first points in just his second outing. He entered 80 total races until 1991, with his son Kazuki joining Williams alongside fellow second-generation driver Nico Rosberg in 2007, collecting nine Championship points.
The Stucks
Hans Stuck raced a handful of Grands Prix in the early 1950s, but the German was really known for his exploits in hill-climb racing during the 1930s, dominating with Auto Union cars. His son, Hans-Joachim Stuck, achieved much more success in F1 from 1974-1979 as he claimed two podiums for Brabham in 1977. Now president of the German Motor Sport Federation, Hans-Joachim also won the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice, along with a DTM championship.
The Parnells
Reg Parnell remains the only British F1 driver to race for Alfa Romeo, taking a podium on his only outing for the team at the very first F1 race. He entered six more Grands Prix over the next four years, while his son, Tim, started two races in 1961 before managing various teams until the 70s.
The Winkelhocks
Claiming his only points in 56 entries at the gruelling 1982 Brazilian Grand Prix, Manfred Winkelhock enjoyed four years in the sport before passing away while endurance racing. His son, Markus, holds a unique F1 record – he led his only race in the sport at the 2007 European Grand Prix, boxing in his Spyker on the formation lap for wet tyres, perfectly predicting a torrential downpour. After leading six laps, the race was paused, meaning Markus is the only driver to start last and first on the grid in the same Grand Prix.
The Pilettes
The Belgian racer Andre Pilette entered 14 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1964, achieving his only points finish at his home race in 1954. Twenty years on from that result, Andre’s son Teddy had his only start in Formula 1 around Spa-Francorchamps, finishing P17.
