Despite Introducing 6 Rookies, 2025 Lineup Is Not Even Near to the Youngest Lineup Ever

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman and Gabriel Bortoleto during the 2024 Formula 1 Sao Paulo Grand Prix at the Interlagos Circuit in Sao Paulo, Brazil

The 2024 F1 season was the very first in the history of the sport when no rookie driver was signed at the start of the campaign. However, in stark contrast to last season, in 2025, the sport is witnessing a surge of young blood with as many as six drivers set to compete in their first full-time F1 season.

Naturally, with such an influx of young drivers on the grid, one would not be blamed for assuming that next season’s line-up would have the youngest average age. But in fact, that isn’t the case as F1 has seen younger grids in the past despite this record-breaking number of rookie drivers for next year.

If the ages of all 20 drivers that are expected to line up in Australia are accounted for, the average age of the 2025 grid comes up to 27 years and two months. In the past, though, the sport has seen a lineup of as young as 27 years (in 2015 and 2017).

But with the oldest rookie at 22 (Liam Lawson) and the youngest at 18 (Kimi Antonelli), what has been pushing up the average age of the 2025 grid? Well, it’s the stalwarts of the sport such as Lewis Hamilton (39) and Fernando Alonso (43).

Is F1 really moving towards a youth revolution?

This statistic really puts things into perspective, given the longevity of the careers of some drivers. That said, it cannot be ignored that drivers like Hamilton and Alonso are now in the twilight phase of their careers.

Alonso has himself admitted that 2026 will probably be his last year in the sport. Moreover, Hamilton might not be motivated enough to continue in the sport if his highly anticipated Ferrari move does not pan out to his liking.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen, who is only 27 years old, is unsure if he will continue racing in the sport beyond his current Red Bull contract. Hence, it can safely be said that the sport is indeed gradually moving towards a completely different generation of drivers taking over.

Post Edited By: Vidit Dhawan
Fernando Alonso Gabriel Bortoleto Isack Hadjar Jack Doohan Kimi Antonelli Lewis Hamilton Liam Lawson Max Verstappen Oliver Bearman

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

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