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Elegant Traveller

The Most Experienced & Oldest F1 Drivers in History

schedule4 Minute Read

10-Apr-2026 Mark Martin

The Most Experienced & Oldest F1 Drivers in History

Who has been the oldest driver to ever start a grand prix and which driver has made the most F1 race starts? Find out in our latest blog.

Formula 1 is often viewed as being a pursuit of the young, with drivers such as Max Verstappen and Jenson Button making their F1 race debuts before they had even passed their conventional road car driving test.
However, with safety levels vastly improved and a greater understanding of how to optimise driver health regimes prolong peak physical fitness, it is becoming increasingly common for drivers to remain in the sport for longer.
At the time of writing, two of the twenty two Grand Prix drivers are over the age of 40, with a further five being over the age of 30. This list includes the driver with the longest F1 career on record.

Which Driver Has Had the Longest F1 Career?

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The oldest current F1 driver is Fernando Alonso. Having made his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, Alonso has had the longest F1 career on record spanning a total of 25 years; a full quarter century. The Spaniard is also the driver with the most Grand Prix starts having entered a staggering 430 races over this period. Having won just 7.5% of the F1 races entered, Alonso's record really doesn't do him justice. Despite winning two drivers championships, the Spaniard has failed to win a race since 2013. His last title success is an even more distant memory, with Alonso's tally made up of just a single back-to-back triumph from 2005 to 2006 for the Renault team. Despite a brief sabbatical, Alonso's subsequent years in the sport have been dogged by poor equipment. The Spaniard seems to have a habit of being in the right place at the wrong time having driven for McLaren during its ill-fated alliance with Honda prior to the Woking squad finding its way back into the winners circle in the mid 2020s. By this point Alonso had switched to Aston Martin, and despite the team having the best facilities in the sport, they are currently in a difficult rebuilding phase which will likely lead to championship success, but a long time after Alonso's career will have ended.

Who is the Oldest F1 Winner?

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Despite the incredible longevity of his career, at the age of 44 Alonso wouldn't even become the oldest F1 race winner if he did somehow manage to take an unlikely victory in 2026. This record will remain in the hands of Italian Luigi Fagioli who won the 1951 French Grand Prix for Alfa Romeo at the age of 53! Next up on our list of the oldest F1 race winners was Fagioli's compatriot, Giuseppe Farina, who won the 1953 German Grand Prix at the age of 46 years and 9 months for Ferrari at the notorious Nurburgring circuit. This race was held on the original 14 mile Nurburgring circuit, with Farina's experience at the venue no doubt providing him with an advantage over his younger competitors. Farina was part of a generation whose careers were interrupted by the Second World War but were still (just about) young enough to continue racing once the war had ended. The Italian also became the first ever F1 World Champion in 1950 at the age of 43. However, this doesn't make him the oldest F1 champion.

Who is the Oldest Driver to Win the Formula 1 Championship?

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It is in fact Argentinian Juan Manuel Fangio who currently holds the record for being the oldest F1 Champion having claimed the title at the age of 46 years and 1 month in 1957 for Maserati. This would turn out to be Fangio's 5th and final World Championship and was again secured at the Nurburgring circuit with the Argentinian using his experience of the track and his supreme skill to fight back after a disastrous pitstop saw him rejoin over a minute behind the Ferrari of Mike Hawthorn. Apart from Fangio and Farina, the only other driver to have won the world championship over the age of 40 is the aforementioned Jack Brabham who claimed the 1966 World Championship at the age of 40 years and 155 days whilst driving for his eponymous team.

F1 Drivers Over the Age of 40

Apart from Alonso, the only other current F1 driver over the age of 40 is Lewis Hamilton who is now 41. By claiming a podium finish for Ferrari at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, Lewis Hamilton became one of only three drivers over the age of 40 to have stood on the rostrum since the year 2000. The others are Fernando Alonso with his podium in Brazil in 2023 at the age of 42 and Michael Schumacher who took his only podium for Mercedes at the 2012 European Grand Prix at the age of 43.
The only other driver from relatively modern times to have won in F1 over the age of 40 is Nigel Mansell. Mansell made his comeback to F1 in 1994 as replacement for Ayrton Senna who had lost his life at the San Marino Grand Prix earlier that year. Despite being 41 at the time, Mansell ran competitively and even won the season ending Australian Grand Prix taking what would turn out to be his 31st and final victory.

Will Alonso Retire in 2026?

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Despite having the longest F1 career on record, Alonso is currently showing no signs of slowing down. He was one of only two drivers to have out-qualified his team-mate at every race in 2025 and is still performing miracles in 2026 despite having what is turning out to be by far the worst car on the grid. Alonso had high hopes heading into 2026 due to the arrival of design genius Adrian Newey at Aston Martin whose cars have won a remarkable 14 drivers championships and 12 constructors championships since 1992. However, a very adventurous car design and a fundamentally flawed power unit from Honda has left the Spaniard at the back of the grid. Many feel that Aston Martins' current form will make Alonso more likely to carry on in 2027. Realistically, there are very few other drivers who would currently be willing to entertain joining the Aston Martin team and Alonso may feel that he needs at least some success to justify staying in the sport as long as he has in pursuit of that elusive third championship. Expect to see the Spaniard lining up for Aston Martin once more next season.

When Will Lewis Hamilton Retire?

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It is generally believed that Lewis Hamilton has a contract with Ferrari which runs until the end of 2027. While his form in 2025 was lackluster, he has appeared to adapt well to the new generation of cars introduced for 2026 and seems to be re-energised in a far more compliant Ferrari. While the 2026 Ferrari F1 car is an improvement on their 2025 car, the team is still lagging behind pace setters Mercedes Benz. With his improved form and hope of a Ferrari engine upgrade prior to the 2027 season, you can expect Hamilton to continue racing until at least the end of next season.

Witness Greatest First Hand

With both Hamilton and Alonso having fewer seasons ahead in their career than behind, now could be your only chance to see these legendary racers in action before it is too late. With Elegant Resorts, you can be right in the thick of the action with highly coveted paddock passes and the best seats in the house to see all the action unfold at a round of the 2026 F1 season.
Our Luxury Travel Specialists are on hand to help you tailor your F1 break around your requirements. We'll take account of your hopes, aspirations and requirements so that we can help you build a F1 holiday package which is every bit as unique as you are.
Whether you are keen to see Alonso and Hamilton tackle one of the more historic tracks on the calendar or more inclined to favour the wondrous facilities and entertainment at one of the newer additions to the F1 calendar, we can make your sporting dreams a reality. Get in touch today to start the exciting planning process for your next F1 escape.
Mark Martin

Mark Martin

SEO Consultant

An experienced marketing professional who has been fortunate enough to work in the travel industry since 2010. Over this time I've developed an increasing thirst for travel, particularly to holiday destinations which allow me to indulge my love of motorsport.

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