Formula 1 has just a handful of drivers still living who competed in the early days of the sport.
The inaugural world championship was run in 1950, and Hermano da Silva Ramos – who first raced an F1 car in 1955 – is its oldest driver still alive at 98. Hans Herrmann, now 95, made his F1 debut two seasons earlier, in 1953.
With just two world champions over the age of 80 still alive, here are the oldest surviving F1 drivers, including world champions and grand prix winners:
Oldest F1 world champions still alive
Jackie Stewart – 84 years old
Stewart is the oldest F1 world champion alive at the age of 84. He took world championship titles in 1969, 1971 and 1973, and 27 race wins during his career. Making his debut in 1965, the Scottish driver raced with BRM, Matra, March and Tyrrell and is the only living F1 world champion from the 1960s.
Photo by: David Phipps
Race winner Mario Andretti, Lotus 79, Ronnie Peterson, Lotus 79
Mario Andretti – 83 years old
Andretti is the second-oldest living F1 world champion at the age of 83. The American driver took the F1 title in 1978 when he raced with Lotus, but across his career he also raced with March, Ferrari, Parnelli, Alfa Romeo and Williams. Andretti is just one of three drivers, including Dan Gurney and Juan Pablo Montoya, to win races in Formula 1, IndyCar, NASCAR and the World Sportscar Championship.
Alan Jones – 77 years old
Jones, 77, took his world championship for Williams in 1980, which was the team’s first championship win. In his decade-long career, the Australian raced for Hesketh, Hill, Surtees, Shadow, Williams, Arrows, Haas and Lola and achieved 12 wins from 116 starts. Jones was the last Australian driver to win the Australian Grand Prix in 1980.
Emerson Fittipaldi – 77 years old
Fittipaldi is a two-time world champion, with wins in 1972 and 1974. The 77-year-old’s first world championship with Lotus secured him the title of the youngest driver to win a championship at just 25 years old. He held this record for 33 years before the record was broken by a 24-year-old Fernando Alonso in 2005. The Brazilian driver raced with Lotus, McLaren and then the Brazilian Fittipaldi Automotive team, which was founded by his brother Wilson Fittipaldi.
Photo by: Motorsport Images
Keke Rosberg, Williams FW08
Keke Rosberg – 75 years old
Rosberg, 75, won his world championship in 1982. Driving for…
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Motorsport.com – Formula 1 – Stories…