F1’s Forty-Somethings Make a Stunning Return

Fernando Alonso will break a historic age record in F1, echoing Graham Hill’s era, as the sport sees a resurgence of competitive drivers in their forties.

Born on July 29, 1981, Fernando Alonso will celebrate his 43rd birthday in a few months.

Having extended his contract with Aston Martin F1 until the end of 2026, it means he will still be racing in F1 beyond the age of 45.

Thus, Fernando Alonso will become the oldest driver to compete in F1 since… Graham Hill in 1975, who was 45 years and 345 days old when he raced at Interlagos.

Furthermore, at 46 years and 85 days, Hill also attempted to qualify, unsuccessfully, for the Monaco Grand Prix.

The parallels between Hill and Fernando Alonso are striking. Hill is the only driver to have won the Triple Crown (Monaco Grand Prix, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and Indianapolis 500): an achievement Fernando Alonso has attempted to replicate. While he triumphed at Le Mans and Monaco, his attempts in Indiana have been in vain.

Alonso’s advanced age reminds us of another era in F1 when it was not uncommon for drivers to be in their 40s (like Farina or Fangio) or even in their 50s.

Two records date back to the 1950s.

The record for the oldest winner in Formula 1 is held by Luigi Fagioli, who won the 1951 French Grand Prix at the age of 53.

As for the oldest driver to take part in a Grand Prix, it is Monaco’s Louis Chiron, who started the 1955 Monaco Grand Prix at the age of 55 years and 292 days.

Increasingly Rare Forty-Something Drivers But…

Since Hill’s retirement, forty-something drivers have been rare in F1.

This is evidenced by the list of drivers over 40 in F1 in the last 50 years:

Driver	Age	Year	Grand Prix
Vittorio Brambilla	42 years, 308 days	1980	USA Grand Prix
Mario Andretti	42 years, 209 days	1982	Las Vegas Grand Prix
Jacques Laffite	42 years, 234 days	1986	British Grand Prix
René Arnoux	41 years, 124 days	1989	Australian Grand Prix
Philippe Alliot	41 years, 32 days	1994	Belgian Grand Prix
Nigel Mansell	41 years, 279 days	1995	Spanish Grand Prix
Pedro de la Rosa	41 years, 275 days	2012	Brazilian Grand Prix
Michael Schumacher	43 years, 327 days	2012	Brazilian Grand Prix
Kimi Raikkonen	42 years, 56 days	2021	Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Today, the improvement in drivers’ preparation and physical condition seems to advocate for the extension of their careers. Alonso’s current form is a testament to this.

On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton (39 years old today) is expected to continue in F1 for at least another two or three years with Ferrari, possibly becoming the new veteran on the grid after… Fernando Alonso.

However, there is also a downside: the lengthening of the calendar, the intensity of the sporting and marketing agendas of the drivers, argue in the opposite direction. This is why Max Verstappen (26 years old today) has hinted that he might retire in 2028, at the age of 30.

When Did World Champion Drivers Retire from F1?

Finally, it may be interesting to note the age at which world champion drivers retired (when they did not, unfortunately, pass away suddenly, like Jochen Rindt).

Some drivers were also exhausted and hung up their gloves quite early: this was the case of Nico Rosberg in 2016, at the age of 31.

Driver	Days	Age
Ascari	13,462 days	36 years, 307 days
Farina	17,750 days	48 years, 190 days
Fangio	17,179 days	47 years, 44 days
Hawthorn	10,784 days	29 years, 219 days
P. Hill	14,277 days	39 years, 42 days
Clark	11,625 days	31 years, 275 days
Rindt	10,347 days	28 years, 132 days
Brabham	16,277 days	44 years, 212 days
Surtees	14,091 days	38 years, 226 days
Stewart	12,507 days	34 years, 57 days
Hulme	13,989 days	38 years, 159 days
G. Hill	16,781 days	45 years, 351 days
Hunt	11,594 days	31 years, 244 days
Scheckter	11,207 days	30 years, 312 days
Fittipaldi	12,351 days	33 years, 301 days
Andretti	15,550 days	42 years, 220 days
Lauda	13,403 days	36 years, 273 days
K. Rosberg	13,481 days	36 years, 351 days
Jones	14,603 days	40 years, 13 days
Piquet	14,322 days	39 years, 117 days
Prost	14,136 days	38 years, 291 days
Senna	12,459 days	34 years, 109 days
Mansell	15,254 days	41 years, 274 days
D. Hill	14,288 days	39 years, 83 days
Hakkinen	12,069 days	33 years, 19 days
Villeneuve	12,896 days	35 years, 161 days
Schumacher	16,032 days	43 years, 297 days
N. Rosberg	11,476 days	31 years, 241 days
Button	13,644 days	37 years, 209 days
Raikkonen	15,397 days	42 years, 67 days
Vettel	12,924 days	35 years, 189 days