Back-to-back wins have moved Kimi Antonelli to the top of the Drivers' Championship, becoming the youngest driver to do so in F1 history.
Kimi Antonelli's victory in the Japanese Grand Prix moved the Italian teenager to the top of the Drivers' Championship for the first time, and in the process, break yet another record.
Having become the youngest Grand Prix polesitter and winner in Formula 1 history just two weeks earlier in China, Antonelli repeated his victory feat at the Suzuka Circuit.
With it, the 19-year-old Italian became the youngest driver to sit at the top of the F1 Drivers' Championship standings, but just who has he beaten for the record?
10. Charles Leclerc – Bahrain 2022 (24 years, 5 months and 4 days)
Having joined Ferrari in 2019 after an impressive debut season with Sauber the previous year, Charles Leclerc soon began to make his mark with the Scuderia.
Back-to-back wins came in the Belgium and Italian Grands Prix that season but it took until 2022 and a new set of regulations for the Monegasque driver to mount his first attempt at the F1 title.
Victory in the Bahrain season-opener gave him the points lead for the first time and he held top spot until the sixth round of the campaign, where he retired from the lead of the Spanish GP with a mechanical failure.
Thereafter, Leclerc never got on terms with Max Verstappen and had to settle for second in the title race, which still remains his best finish to an F1 season so far.
9. Oscar Piastri – Saudi Arabia 2025 (24 years, 0 months and 14 days)
In just his third season of F1, Oscar Piastri mounted a title challenge with McLaren last year, which ultimately would fall just short of a maiden title in the championship.
Piastri claimed seven victories in 2025, the majority of which came in the first half of the season as wins in China, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia moved him into the lead of the Drivers' Championship for the first time in his career.
Piastri held that advantage until Mexico, round 20 of 24, having let a 34-point lead to team mate and eventual champion Lando Norris slip.
The Australian eventually finished third in the standings behind Max Verstappen and 13 points adrift of Norris.
8. Max Verstappen – Monaco 2021 (23 years, 7 months and 23 days)
Max Verstappen is no stranger to holding records, the Dutchman still the youngest driver to make his F1 debut (Australia 2015), youngest points scorer (Malaysia 2015), and youngest race winner courtesy of his triumph at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix on his debut with Red Bull.
Despite further wins across the following four seasons, it took until 2021 for Verstappen to mount his first title bid in a titanic struggle with seven-time World Champion, Lewis Hamilton.
Three runner-up finishes and two wins to start the season meant his victory in Monaco gave him the championship lead for the first time, as he and Hamilton eventually entered the Abu Dhabi title-decider tied on points.
With Verstappen winning and securing his first title, it paved the way for him to secure three more Drivers' Championships in successive seasons before missing out on the 2025 crown by just two points.
7. Fernando Alonso – Malaysia 2005 (23 years, 7 months and 22 days)
Having been given testing duties with Renault after an impressive debut F1 season with backmarkers Minardi in 2001, Fernando Alonso was promoted to race for the French manufacturer in 2003.
His first pole position and victory came quickly in Malaysia and Hungary respectively, but it took until new regulations were implemented in 2005 for him to be in a position for his first F1 title.
Victory at the second round in Malaysia gave him the points lead for the first time and a further six wins ensured him of his maiden F1 title, repeating the feat against seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher the following season.
Despite coming close to more title success in 2007, 2010 and 2012, Alonso has yet to add to his championship tally despite still racing at the age of 44 with Aston Martin.
