Formula 1 has always been a sport where experience and youth meet on the same track. Some drivers reach the podium at a very young age, while others continue to perform at the highest level even in their forties. Looking at podium finishers between 2000 and 2025 shows how both young talent and veteran skill can succeed in Formula 1.
🟦 Youngest Drivers: 🥉 Podium — All Time
| # | Driver | Team | Race | Date | Age at Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Max Verstappen YOUNGEST | Red Bull | Spain Grand Prix | 15 May 2016 | 18y 228d |
| 🥈 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | Azerbaijan Grand Prix | 25 Jun 2017 | 18y 239d |
| 🥉 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Austria Grand Prix | 03 Jul 2016 | 18y 277d |
| 4 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Great Britain Grand Prix | 10 Jul 2016 | 18y 284d |
| 5 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | Canada Grand Prix | 15 Jun 2025 | 18y 294d |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Germany Grand Prix | 31 Jul 2016 | 18y 305d |
| 7 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Malaysia Grand Prix | 02 Oct 2016 | 19y 2d |
| 8 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Japan Grand Prix | 09 Oct 2016 | 19y 9d |
| 9 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | Brazil Grand Prix | 13 Nov 2016 | 19y 44d |
| 10 | Andrea Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | Brazil Grand Prix | 09 Nov 2025 | 19y 76d |
Youngest Formula 1 Drivers on the Podium
In modern Formula 1, teams have increasingly trusted younger drivers with competitive seats. The results are clear, as several drivers have reached the podium before turning 20.
Max Verstappen – Youngest Podium Finisher
Max Verstappen holds the record as the youngest driver to stand on a Formula 1 podium. He achieved this at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix with Red Bull at the age of 18 years and 228 days.
This race was particularly significant because it was also Verstappen’s first race for Red Bull after being promoted from Toro Rosso. He went on to win the race, making it one of the most remarkable debut performances for a new team in Formula 1 history.
Verstappen appears multiple times on the list because he continued to finish on the podium several times during the 2016 season while still only 18 years old.
Lance Stroll – Second Youngest
Lance Stroll secured his first podium at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix while driving for Williams. At 18 years and 239 days, he became the second youngest driver in Formula 1 history to reach the podium.
The race in Baku was chaotic, but Stroll showed strong race management and nearly finished second before Valtteri Bottas passed him on the final straight.
Andrea Kimi Antonelli – New Generation
Andrea Kimi Antonelli joined the list in 2025 with Mercedes. He achieved podium finishes at the Canadian Grand Prix and later at the Brazilian Grand Prix, becoming one of the youngest drivers to do so in modern Formula 1.
His performances highlight the continuing trend of teams promoting young drivers earlier in their careers.
🟥 Oldest Drivers: 🥉 Podium — All Time
| # | Driver | Team | Race | Date | Age at Achievement |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Michael Schumacher OLDEST | Ferrari | Europe Grand Prix | 24 Jun 2012 | 43y 173d |
| 🥈 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Brazil Grand Prix | 05 Nov 2023 | 42y 99d |
| 🥉 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Netherlands Grand Prix | 27 Aug 2023 | 42y 29d |
| 4 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Canada Grand Prix | 18 Jun 2023 | 41y 324d |
| 5 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Monaco Grand Prix | 28 May 2023 | 41y 303d |
| 6 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Miami Grand Prix | 07 May 2023 | 41y 282d |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Australia Grand Prix | 02 Apr 2023 | 41y 247d |
| 8 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Saudi Arabia Grand Prix | 19 Mar 2023 | 41y 233d |
| 9 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Bahrain Grand Prix | 05 Mar 2023 | 41y 219d |
| 10 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | Qatar Grand Prix | 21 Nov 2021 | 40y 115d |
Oldest Formula 1 Drivers on the Podium
While youth has become more common in Formula 1, several experienced drivers have shown that age does not prevent strong results.
Michael Schumacher – Oldest Podium Finisher
Michael Schumacher holds the record as the oldest Formula 1 driver to finish on the podium. He achieved this at the 2012 European Grand Prix driving for Mercedes at 43 years and 173 days.
This result came during Schumacher’s comeback period after returning to Formula 1 in 2010. The podium demonstrated that even in his forties he could still compete at the highest level.
Fernando Alonso – Consistent Veteran Performer
Fernando Alonso appears several times on the list of oldest podium finishers. In 2023, driving for Aston Martin, he achieved multiple podiums at the age of 41 and 42.
Some of his notable podiums that year include:
- Bahrain Grand Prix
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
- Australian Grand Prix
- Miami Grand Prix
- Monaco Grand Prix
- Canadian Grand Prix
- Netherlands Grand Prix
- Brazilian Grand Prix
Alonso’s performances during the 2023 season proved that experience, race strategy, and consistency remain valuable even as drivers get older.
What These Records Show About Formula 1
The podium records between 2000 and 2025 reveal two clear trends.
First, Formula 1 teams are increasingly promoting young drivers earlier. Drivers like Max Verstappen and Andrea Kimi Antonelli show that teenagers can compete at the highest level if given the right opportunity.
Second, experienced drivers can remain competitive for many years. Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher demonstrated that strong racecraft and knowledge of the sport can still produce top results well into a driver’s forties.
Formula 1 continues to balance youth and experience, which is one of the reasons the sport remains competitive and unpredictable.
F1 Stats Last Updated: January 10, 2026 | All statistics, lap times, and driver comparisons on this page reflect the most current data available from the official F1 sources. And updated till the last race which happened in 7th December 2025