The renowned Formula 1 driver, Sebastian Vettel, has expressed his willingness to accept the possibility that Kimi Antonelli surpasses his record as the youngest champion of the competition. Vettel achieved this prestige in 2010, at just 23 years, 4 months, and 11 days old, surpassing the previous record set by Lewis Hamilton.
Currently, Antonelli, at 20 years old, seems to be on the path towards the title, thanks to a victory at the Spanish Grand Prix that has given him an 81-point lead over his teammate at Mercedes, George Russell. Vettel commented during an interview in Monza that «I would be very happy for him. He has had an incredible year. There is a saying that records are meant to be broken, and he still has many years ahead of him.»
Vettel noted that, as a motorsport fan, he finds it exciting to see the competition and has wished the other drivers the ability to recover and be part of the fight. «I know how much work goes into achieving it, whoever wins deserves it,» he added.
Antonelli, for his part, has expressed his gratitude for Vettel’s support, who always messages him after races. «It’s great to see so much support from him and the appreciation he shows. Without a doubt, I’m very happy to receive his messages, which surely make a difference when facing the races,» said the young driver.
In addition to his current successes, Antonelli has already broken some of Vettel’s records, including the first pole and the first ‘hat-trick’ at the age of 19, moments when Vettel did it at 21. He has also set other records such as being the youngest to set a fastest lap, lead a race, and be champion, moving ahead of figures like Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
History of the youngest champions in F1
| Year | Driver | Team | Ages |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | 23 years, 4 months, 11 days |
| 2008 | Lewis Hamilton | McLaren | 23 years, 9 months, 26 days |
| 2005 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 24 years, 1 month, 27 days |
| 2021 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 24 years, 2 months, 12 days |
| 2011 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | 24 years, 3 months, 6 days |
| 2022 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 25 years, 9 days |
| 2006 | Fernando Alonso | Renault | 25 years, 2 months, 23 days |
| 2012 | Sebastian Vettel | Red Bull | 25 years, 4 months, 22 days |
| 1972 | Emerson Fittipaldi | Lotus | 25 years, 8 months, 29 days |
| 1994 | Michael Schumacher | Benetton | 25 years, 10 months, 10 days |
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
SourceID: SRC_5730858637f970b6a9ee8e8b4b1c0c3e23a259bb