Every teenager to have started an F1 grand prix

Oliver Bearman became one of the youngest drivers to start an F1 race when he made his debut at the 2024 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. 

The 18-year-old stepped in for Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as he withdrew from the race weekend due to appendicitis.  

It meant Bearman became the 13th teenager to start an F1 grand prix, so who are the other 12 and how did they fare? 

Max Verstappen (17 years and 165 days)  

Max Verstappen is the youngest driver to ever start a grand prix as he was just 17 years and 165 days old when he made his debut at the 2015 Australian GP. F1 had never seen anything like it, because when his move to Toro Rosso was announced, Verstappen was just 16 years old – meaning he couldn’t even legally drive on the road yet. 

It immediately caused the FIA to introduce a rule saying future F1 drivers must be at least 18 years old, while they need to have spent at least two seasons in junior racing before reaching the top category, as Verstappen had only spent one year in F3.  

Verstappen didn’t get a great start to his F1 career as he retired 32 laps into his debut due to an engine failure. But, for the rest of the season, Verstappen showcased the potential of being a future world champion, which included beating team-mate Sainz, and that led to his Red Bull promotion in 2016. 

Lance Stroll (18 years and 147 days) 

Lance Stroll, Williams FW40

Photo by: Motorsport Images

Lance Stroll entered F1 in controversial circumstances like Verstappen, but for the Canadian it was because he brought financial backing to the Williams team who gave him his debut. However, that did come after a successful junior career where Stroll won the Italian F4 and F3 European championships so he and Williams argued that the teenager was signed based on performance. 

Stroll’s F1 career didn’t get a great start though as his debut, the 2017 Australian GP, was the first of three consecutive retirements to commence the season. He finally scored points at the season’s seventh round in Montreal before claiming an astonishing podium in Baku just two weeks later – becoming the second-youngest podium finisher in F1 history at 18 years and 238 days old and just 11 days older than Verstappen’s first top three finish. 

Oliver Bearman (18 years and 304 days) 

Oliver Bearman, Ferrari SF-24

Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport…