From World Champions to title contenders – the 10 youngest drivers to lead the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings

Kimi Antonelli’s victory in the Japanese Grand Prix moved the Italian teenager to the top of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time, and in the process, break yet another record.

Having become the youngest Grand Prix polesitter and winner in Formula 1 history just two weeks earlier in China, Antonelli repeated his victory feat at the Suzuka Circuit.

With it, the 19-year-old Italian became the youngest driver to sit at the top of the F1 Drivers’ Championship standings, but just who has he beaten for the record?

10. Charles Leclerc – Bahrain 2022 (24 years, 5 months and 4 days)

Having joined Ferrari in 2019 after an impressive debut season with Sauber the previous year, Charles Leclerc soon began to make his mark with the Scuderia.

Back-to-back wins came in the Belgium and Italian Grands Prix that season but it took until 2022 and a new set of regulations for the Monegasque driver to mount his first attempt at the F1 title.

Victory in the Bahrain season-opener gave him the points lead for the first time and he held top spot until the sixth round of the campaign, where he retired from the lead of the Spanish GP with a mechanical failure.

Thereafter, Leclerc never got on terms with Max Verstappen and had to settle for second in the title race, which still remains his best finish to an F1 season so far.

9. Oscar Piastri – Saudi Arabia 2025 (24 years, 0 months and 14 days)

In just his third season of F1, Oscar Piastri mounted a title challenge with McLaren last year, which ultimately would fall just short of a maiden title in the championship.

Piastri claimed seven victories in 2025, the majority of which came in the first half of the season as wins in China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia moved him into the lead of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career.

Piastri held that advantage until Mexico, round 20 of 24, having let a 34-point lead to team mate and eventual champion Lando Norris slip.

The Australian eventually finished third in the standings behind Max Verstappen and 13 points adrift of Norris.

8. Max Verstappen – Monaco 2021 (23 years, 7 months and 23 days)

Max Verstappen is no stranger to holding records, the Dutchman still the youngest driver to make his F1 debut (Australia 2015), youngest points scorer (Malaysia 2015), and youngest race winner courtesy of his triumph at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his debut with Red Bull.

Despite further wins across the following four seasons, it took until 2021 for Verstappen to mount his first title bid in a titanic struggle with seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.

Three runner-up finishes and two wins to start the season meant his victory in Monaco gave him the championship lead for the first time, as he and Hamilton eventually entered the Abu Dhabi title-decider tied on points.

With Verstappen winning and securing his first title, it paved the way for him to secure three more Drivers’ Championships in successive seasons before missing out on the 2025 crown by just two points.

7. Fernando Alonso – Malaysia 2005 (23 years, 7 months and 22 days)

Having been given testing duties with Renault after an impressive debut F1 season with backmarkers Minardi in 2001, Fernando Alonso was promoted to race for the French manufacturer in 2003.

His first pole position and victory came quickly in Malaysia and Hungary respectively, but it took until new regulations were implemented in 2005 for him to be in a position for his first F1 title.

Victory at the second round in Malaysia gave him the points lead for the first time and a further six wins ensured him of his maiden F1 title, repeating the feat against seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher the following season.

Despite coming close to more title success in 2007, 2010 and 2012, Alonso has yet to add to his championship tally despite still racing at the age of 44 with Aston Martin.

6. Robert Kubica – Canada 2008 (23 years, 6 months and 1 day)

While Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa ultimately battled for the outcome of the 2008 title, it was a case of what might have been for Robert Kubica.

The Pole had only made his F1 debut mid-way through 2006 with BMW Sauber at the expense of Jacques Villeneuve, but took his maiden F1 podium at the Italian GP on just his third start.

Although no more rostrums came in 2007, by the following season he had taken three at the start of the campaign before claiming his one and only victory at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix. It gave him the lead of the championship for the first and only time in his career, as a lack of development from the team ultimately meant he dropped away to fourth in the final reckoning.

A move to Renault yielded more podiums and eye-catching performances that earned him a Ferrari contract for 2012 but an off-season rally accident left him with horrific injuries.

Incredibly, Kubica recovered and returned to motorsport, racing for Williams in 2019 and a further two appearances for Alfa Romeo in 2021, eventually moving to sports cars and winning the 2025 Le Mans 24 Hours with Ferrari.

5. Kimi Raikkonen – Malaysia 2003 (23 years, 5 months and 6 days)

Having been poached by McLaren after an impressive debut season with Sauber in 2001, Kimi Raikkonen proved his speed and talent across five seasons with the team.

The Finn claimed nine wins during that period, with the first coming at the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix, which also gave him the lead of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time.

Raikkonen would take that year’s title battle down to the final race of the season in Japan before losing out to Michael Schumacher by just two points, and he would again lose out during the 2005 campaign to Fernando Alonso.

Moving to Ferrari in 2007 to replace Schumacher, Raikkonen finally claimed his sole world title by a single point, eventually retiring from F1 at the end of 2021 having had a sabbatical, second spell at Ferrari and further seasons with Lotus and Alfa Romeo.

4. Sebastian Vettel – Abu Dhabi 2010 (23 years, 4 months and 11 days)

Sebastian Vettel’s first F1 title came after a four-way showdown at the 2010 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, with the German’s victory handing him the crown by just four points over Fernando Alonso.

The success not only makes him still the youngest winner of an F1 World Championship, but incredibly it was the only point all season when Vettel led the standings as well as being the first time in his career.

Over the following three seasons Vettel would dominate with Red Bull, claiming a quartet of titles in total having established the energy drinks manufacturer at the front in F1.

Moving to Ferrari in 2015, Vettel challenged for the title in 2017 and 2018 but finished runner-up both times to Lewis Hamilton, eventually retiring from the sport in 2022 after two seasons with Aston Martin.

3. Bruce McLaren – Argentina 1960 (22 years, 5 months and 8 days)

The 1960 F1 season began well for a 22-year-old Bruce McLaren, as the New Zealender claimed victory at the opening round in Argentina, which added to his tally of wins after victory at the final race in 1959.

His second F1 win with Cooper moved him to the top of the standings for the first time and five further podiums meant he finished runner-up that season, nine points behind Jack Brabham.

Although McLaren would never finish as well in the final Championship classification, two more F1 victories would follow, as well as top spot in the 1966 Le Mans 24 Hours.

But McLaren’s biggest legacy would be founding his own team, which made its debut at the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix and would continue to compete in F1 long after his death from a crash at Goodwood in 1970, amassing 203 wins, 10 Constructors’ and 13 Drivers’ Championships so far.

2. Lewis Hamilton – Spain 2007 (22 years, 4 months and 6 days)

Lewis Hamilton’s debut season in F1 was nothing short of spectacular, as the rookie went toe-to-toe with reigning and two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso at McLaren.

The Briton would claim podiums at the first nine races of the 2007 campaign, including back-to-back wins in Canada and the USA, but it was second place in Spain at just the fourth round that gave Hamilton top spot in the standings.

Despite McLaren’s intra-team battle meaning both Hamilton and Alonso missed out on the title by one point, Hamilton wasn’t to be denied the following season as he claimed his maiden championship.

After a few more close calls with McLaren, Hamilton moved to Mercedes in 2013 before claiming six drivers’ titles in seven years. Jumping to Ferrari for 2025, Hamilton has shown glimpses of his old form so far in 2026, which included his first Grand Prix podium for the Scuderia in China.

1. Kimi Antonelli – Japan 2026 (19 years, 7 months and 4 days)

Kimi Antonelli continues to break records in 2026, this time at the Japanese Grand Prix last weekend which marked back-to-back wins for the teenager.

Having taken his second Grand Prix pole position at the Suzuka Circuit, Antonelli suffered a poor start and dropped down the order, eventually returning to the lead with the help of a well-timed Safety Car.

With Mercedes team mate George Russell only fourth, it means Antonelli has moved to the top of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time with a nine-point margin.

Although 19 Grands Prix remain this term, could Antonelli take Sebastian Vettel’s accolade and become the youngest driver to claim a Drivers’ World Championship as well?