The F1 season is underway, with three races already completed in Australia, China and Japan. Mercedes has won all three rounds so far.
Antonelli’s Record-Breaking Start
Kimi Antonelli is making headlines early in the 2026 season. At 19 years old, Antonelli is the youngest driver to ever lead the Formula 1 World Championship. He was born after Fernando Alonso had already won his first title with Renault.
Antonelli eclipses Lewis Hamilton, who was 22 when he made his F1 debut in 2007 and previously held the record, by three years. Antonelli is also the first Italian to win back-to-back races since Alberto Ascari in 1953. Ascari won the title in 1953 too.
He has achieved back-to-back wins in his career before George Russell.
Hamilton’s Ferrari Podium
Lewis Hamilton secured his first podium for Ferrari in Shanghai on his 26th attempt. In contrast, Hamilton reached the podium in his first race with McLaren. He achieved a podium in his second race with Mercedes.
McLaren’s Mixed Fortunes
McLaren have experienced a topsy-turvy start to the season. Oscar Piastri failed to start the first two Grands Prix. He crashed on his way to the grid in Australia, and then suffered an electrical issue in China.
The last driver to fail to start two consecutive races was Bruce McLaren back in 1969. Piastri avoided failing to start a third consecutive race when he managed to start in Japan.
Young Drivers on the Podium
The podium in Japan highlighted the youth movement in F1. Antonelli, Oscar Piastri, and Charles Leclerc had a combined age of just under 73 years. Their average age was just over 24 years.
By contrast, the oldest podium in F1 history featured a combined age of over 140 years. Nino Farina, Luigi Fagioli and Louis Rosier achieved that record in Switzerland during the inaugural season.
Verstappen’s Teenage Record
Max Verstappen won just one race as a teenager – Spain 2016. By the time he won in Malaysia and Mexico in 2017, the Dutchman had turned 20.
The 2026 F1 season continues to unfold, with Antonelli’s early success and the shifting dynamics between teams setting the stage for an intriguing year.