Max Verstappen, Lance Stroll and Kimi Antonelli: changes to F1 rookie podium. Changes to F1 rookie podium .

Kimi Antonelli climbs onto the ‘podium’
The 2025 season will be full of uncertainties regarding the development of the cars and results, especially after a 2024 that saw shifts in the latter half of the Constructors’ Championship. Added to this are further changes, this time concerning team lineups. Looking at the starting grid, there are driver transfers between teams, but most notably, the arrival of four rookies: Jack Doohan (Alpine), Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls), Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber), and, most importantly, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes’ new driver. The latter will earn a special podium finish at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix: at just 18 years old, the Bologna-born driver will become the third-youngest driver in F1 history.

The top three
This achievement will allow the newly licensed driver to surpass Oliver Bearman by just a few months. Bearman made his debut last year with an impressive performance in Saudi Arabia, stepping in for the unavailable Carlos Sainz at Ferrari. But who are the two drivers ahead of the young man set to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes? The top spot belongs to Max Verstappen, who made his debut in 2015 as a minor, at just 17 years old. Right behind him is another driver set to compete in the upcoming season: Canadian Lance Stroll, who entered F1 in 2017 at just over 18 years old.

Spaniards and Britons most represented
In the top ten youngest drivers, Antonelli is the only Italian, but in terms of nationality, Spaniards and Britons are the most present. Among the former, Jaime Alguersuari made his F1 debut in 2009 with Toro Rosso (the same team that introduced Verstappen), ranking as the fifth-youngest driver ever, just behind Bearman but ahead of another Briton, Lando Norris, who sits in sixth place. Further down the ranking, in ninth place, is the Asturian Fernando Alonso, who, interestingly, now holds the record for the most Grand Prix starts.

The only ones from the 20th century
Esteban Tuero, who made his career debut at the 1998 Australian Grand Prix, is among the few youngest rookies to have debuted in the 20th century. Among those who remain in an F1 increasingly open to junior category and academy prospects, Ricardo Rodriguez deserves mention. He competed in the 1961 Italian Grand Prix with Ferrari at the age of 19. Ahead of him, in seventh place, is Mike Thackwell, who made his first appearance in the Circus at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix.

Top 10 youngest rookies of all time