Top 5: Formula 1 Youngest Debuts
Most drivers have fond memories of their first foray onto a motorway after passing their driving test but imagine hurtling through Eau Rouge flat-out at 200 mph at the very same age.
That is the reality facing 17-year-old Max Verstappen, who will make his Formula One debut in Australia next month to become the youngest driver in the sport by two years.
Whilst he cannot even legally drive on his native roads back in the Netherlands until September this year—when he turns 18—Verstappen will line up for Toro Rosso alongside fellow debutant Carlos Sainz.
Both rookies will have a point to prove as they go up against drivers with much more experience. In contrast, McLaren’s driver pairing of Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso have more than 500 Grands Prix starts between them.
Placing trust in younger drivers seems quite fashionable in Formula One right now, though. Just last year, Daniil Kvyat made an impressive debut at the age of 19.
But Verstappen is two years younger than that, which seems like a big leap of faith on the part of Toro Rosso. However, can the Dutch driver learn from the experiences of the previous youngest drivers to have graced the sport?
In Fernando Alonso's case, starting sooner can pave the way to a long and successful career. But Mike Thackwell is a prime example that moving up to Formula One too early can curtail any future success you may have in Grand Prix racing.
Nevertheless, here is a look at the fortunes of the five youngest Formula One drivers in the history of the sport.
Honourable Mention—Daniil Kvyat (19 Years and 320 Days)
Tied as currently the sixth-youngest F1 competitor—alongside Chris Amon—Daniil Kvyat is a contemporary example to Max Verstappen that inexperienced drivers can thrive upon their arrival in the sport.
The Russian was in a similar situation to Verstappen just 12 months ago, having test-driven for Toro Rosso at the back end of the previous campaign. Franz Tost and Co. evidently felt that was enough of an introduction to take him out of the frying pan and thrust him into the fire of Grand Prix racing.
And Kvyat certainly proved that he deserved to be sharing the track with several multiple world champions, so much so that he earned himself a promotion as a Red Bull driver for the forthcoming season.
5th—Esteban Tuero (19 Years and 314 Days)
There was speculation that Esteban Tuero wouldn’t even make his F1 debut at the opening round of the 1998 season, but the FIA’s granting of a Super Licence eventually cleared him to join the grid in Melbourne.
A month shy of his 20th birthday, the Minardi driver qualified 17th (out of 22 starters) and completed 22 laps before he was forced to retire with an engine issue.
It was a sign of things to come for the season, as the inexperienced racer only completed four of the 16 races he participated in, although he did secure a top-10 finish at the San Marino Grand Prix.
Tuero only lasted one year in Formula One, which also culminated in the completion of his single-seater racing career.
4th—Fernando Alonso (19 Years and 213 Days)
Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso began his Formula One career on the back row of the grid with Minardi. But despite not having a fast car at his disposal, the Spaniard made an impression that secured him a move to Renault.
It is often said that your closest rival is your teammate, and Alonso out-qualified Tarso Marques—in the same car—by 2.6 seconds when he made his debut at Melbourne in 2001.
The McLaren man ascended from 19th on the starting grid to finish 12th, aided by the retirement of nine cars during the Grand Prix. Nevertheless, it was clear that the rookie had potential, and by the end of the year, he had a test-driver seat secured at Renault.
After a year as a reserve, Alonso returned to the spotlight in 2003 and claimed his first F1 victory in Hungary later that year, before winning consecutive titles in 2005 and 2006.
3rd—Ricardo Rodriguez (19 Years and 207 Days)
Ricardo Rodriguez may have gone on to break countless records in Formula One and be a multiple world champion, but he was tragically killed at the age of 20 while racing in his hometown of Mexico City.
At just 19, the Mexican driver qualified on the front row of the grid for Ferrari at Monza on his F1 debut. A fuel-pump problem curtailed his race after just three laps, though.
That was his sole appearance in the 1961 season, but he was back with the Prancing Horse a year later when he became the youngest driver to score points with his fourth-place finish in Belgium. That record would stand until Jenson Button surpassed it in 2000.
Rodriguez had made five Formula One starts for Ferrari when he opted to race for Lotus at a non-championship event in Mexico City. A suspension failure caused the 20-year-old to crash into a barrier, which killed him instantly and instigated a period of national mourning in Mexico.
2nd—Mike Thackwell (19 Years and 179 Days)
Mike Thackwell set a record that stood for two decades when he became the youngest Formula One racer ever at the 1980 Canadian Grand Prix; however, that was his only real achievement in the sport.
The New Zealander was offered a drive at the Dutch Grand Prix a month earlier, but he failed to qualify for the event. But he seized his second opportunity when Tyrell came calling at Montreal.
Thackwell started 24th on the grid but only managed to complete one lap. The two other Tyrell cars in the race were both involved in an early collision that resulted in a red flag.
Despite bringing the car around safely for the restart, senior teammate Jean-Pierre Jarier took Thackwell’s car and drove it to seventh place. The rookie also raced in Canada four years later, but he never made a lasting impact in F1.
1st—Jaime Alguersuari (19 Years and 125 Days)
Toro Rosso have always shown faith in young drivers, and back in 2009 they made 19-year-old Jaime Alguersuari the youngest Formula One competitor in the history of the sport when he raced for the team at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
The sister Red Bull team has been the penultimate rung on the ladder for drivers climbing to the summit of the sport, with Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat all proving themselves capable at the highest level before moving to the four-time world champions.
Alguersuari didn’t blow the field away on his debut, although he didn’t disgrace himself either. After being slowest in qualifying, the Spaniard could only go forward on race day and passed the chequered flag in 15th place, ahead of teammate Sebastien Buemi.
The record-breaker stayed with Toro Rosso for two-and-a-half seasons before Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne replaced Alguersuari and Buemi for the 2012 campaign.