Kimi Antonelli has become Formula 1’s youngest world champion after sealing the 2026 drivers’ title with a third-place finish in Mexico City. At 20 years and 68 days old, the Italian moves ahead of Sebastian Vettel, who was 23 years and 133 days when he won his first championship in 2010.
The title comes in Antonelli’s second season in Formula 1 and makes him the sport’s 36th world champion. He had already set a new benchmark earlier in the year by becoming the youngest driver to claim pole position, at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he also took his first race victory.
The five youngest champions in F1 history are now Antonelli, Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso and Max Verstappen. Hamilton won his first title aged 23 years and 300 days in 2008, while Alonso was 24 years and 57 days old when he became champion in 2005. Verstappen’s first title came in 2021, aged 24 years and 73 days.
Antonelli’s record marks a substantial gap from the previous youngest champion: he is more than three years younger than Vettel was when Vettel claimed his first title. Before Antonelli’s breakthrough, Vettel had also held records as the youngest double, triple and quadruple champion. The supplied account says Antonelli’s new age record is unlikely to be beaten soon. tsotlhe
Sources: Formula 1.