Formula 1 has always had a thing for throwing teenagers into the deep end. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but one thing is clear: the age barrier has been pushed so far down that the FIA eventually had to step in and raise it back up.
The record nobody will beat
Max Verstappen remains untouchable. He made his debut at the 2015 Australian Grand Prix at 17 years and 166 days old. That record is locked forever thanks to today’s stricter super-licence rules. Verstappen wasn’t just a kid in the car — he was the reason the rules were changed.
The other teenage debuts
- Lance Stroll — 18 years, 4 months (Australia 2017). A billionaire’s kid, yes, but also legitimately one of the youngest starters ever.
- Oliver Bearman — 18 years, 10 months (Saudi Arabia 2024). Thrown in at Ferrari with 24 hours’ notice, scored points on debut. That’s how you make a statement.
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli — 18 years (Mercedes 2025). The most hyped prodigy since Verstappen. He didn’t just arrive in F1, he was fast-tracked.
- Lando Norris — 19 years, 124 days (Australia 2019). The modern benchmark of a rookie who matured instantly.
- Fernando Alonso — 19 years, 2001. A kid in a Minardi who would later become one of the sport’s longest-serving legends.
And if you rewind the tape further, you’ll find Jaime Alguersuari in 2009, Mike Thackwell in 1980, Ricardo Rodríguez in 1961 — all teenagers when they took the leap.
The drivertalk take
The FIA might have stopped 17-year-olds from showing up, but the sport’s obsession with youth hasn’t gone away. Teams still gamble on barely-legal rookies when the talent is undeniable. Verstappen’s record is safe forever, but Antonelli, Bearman and the next wave prove the point: if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.
